Linda graduated when switched to the turf for her fifth career start at Ellis Park July 31. She battled her way to a Sept. 3 allowance win over the Kentucky Downs turf and was coming off a runner-up effort behind Quidura (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), finishing one spot ahead of My Impression (Sky Mesa), who won Friday's Winter Memories S. at Aqueduct, in the Oct. 21 GIII Valley View S. at Keeneland.
Allowed to settle into stride early, Linda rated at mid-pack while off the hedge going into the first turn. She began winding up for her rally after a half in :48.61 and loomed a threat four wide at the top of the lane with GI Del Mar Oaks winner Harmonize shadowing her move from a path further out on the course. Linda and Harmonize hit the front together with a furlong to run and it was Linda digging down and finding more in deep stretch to win going away.
Linda's victory continued a red-hot streak for the Ian Wilkes barn, which has won five races over the last two days, including Thursday's GIII River City H.
“That was a hell of a performance because that was a nice Grade I-winning horse [Harmonize] that she had held off,” Wilkes, who collected his 500th career winner Thursday, said. “Anytime you hold off a Grade I horse like that, and that's our first stakes win with her, that's a big performance. She was slow to develop as a baby and went through a few things, but when she came to us she just blossomed and got better and better.”
As for what is next for Linda, Wilkes added, “We'll give her a little break, not a long one, just a little break, and I'll talk to [owner] Mrs. [Janis] Whitham and make a plan for what is next.”
The Wilkes stable will be represented by Whitham's 'TDN Rising Star' McCraken (Ghostzapper) in Saturday's GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill.
Pedigree Notes:
Linda is a daughter of Beautiful Noise (Sunny's Halo), winner of the 2001 GII Santa Ana H. for owner/breeder Janis Whitham and a half-sister to Grade I winner Listening (Night Shift). The mare is also a half to the dam of multiple graded stakes winner Listen Here (Gulch) and the granddam of recent GIII Jessamine S. winner La Coronel (Colonel John). Beautiful Noise produced a colt by Violence this year.
Friday, Churchill Downs
MRS. REVERE S.-GII, $200,000, CD, 11-25, 3yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:44.63, gd.
1–#@LINDA, 118, f, 3, by Scat Daddy
1st Dam: Beautiful Noise (GSW & GSP, $516, 902), by Sunny's Halo
2nd Dam: Listen Well, by Secretariat
3rd Dam: Margaret's Number, by Native Charger
O-Whitham Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Janis R. Whitham (KY); T-Ian
R. Wilkes; J-Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. $116,560. Lifetime
Record: 8-3-3-1, $277,010. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”lambholm-south-training-grad”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]2–Harmonize, 123, f, 3, Scat Daddy–Mesa Fresca, by Sky Mesa.
($80,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP). O-Larkin Armstrong; B-Jack Swain
(KY); T-William I. Mott. $37,600.[bullet ad=”brookdale-foaled-raised-and-sold”]3–Sweet Tapper, 118, f, 3, Tapit–Sweet Talker, by Stormin
Fever. ($220,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP). O-Winchester Place
Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Courtlandt Farm (KY); T-Ian R. Wilkes.
$18,800.[bullet ad=”lanes-end-foaled-and-sold”]Margins: 2HF, 5 1/4, NK. Odds: 4.00, 2.30, 89.70.
Also Ran: Mo Knows, Shelbysmile, Hawksmoor (Ire), Cross Country, Fitpitcher, Celestial Insight, Strive, Caren. Scratched: Dear Elaine, Noble Beauty, Nobody's Fault, Ready for Chianti.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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