Mrs. Sippy Aces North American Debut in Glens Falls
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Photo: Skip Dickstein/Tim Lanahan
Mrs. Sippy wins the Glens Falls Stakes over Empressof the Nile at Saratoga Race Course
Bred in Kentucky, raced exclusively in Europe, and making her North American debut Aug. 31 at Saratoga Race Course, Andrew Stone's homebred Mrs. Sippy took a game inside path, then split horses impressively to win the $250,000 Glens Falls Stakes (G2T).
The 4-year-old Blame filly led a 1-2 finish for trainer Graham Motion, as late-flying Empressof the Nile closed with a six-wide rally to finish second, three-quarters of a length back.
Last in the early stages of the 1 3/8-mile turf test for fillies and mares 3 years old and up, Mrs. Sippy and jockey Joel Rosario skimmed the hedge while Lady Montdore went an opening quarter in :25.13. Only 8-5 choice Santa Monica was behind them through a half in :49.80 and three-quarters in 1:15.13, and as the favorite made her move under Jose Ortiz, Rosario sent Mrs. Sippy up to fourth through a 1:38.66 mile.
Santa Monica challenged for the lead four wide and got it as the field turned for home but lost ground as Lady Montdore battled back inside. Meanwhile, Rosario shifted out three wide and set his mount down for the drive, and Mrs. Sippy bravely dove between the front two rivals to take command at the eighth pole.
The ground she gained when edging away briefly helped secure the win, as Empressof the Nile ran on with good energy but ran out of ground. Santa Monica held for third, 2 1/2 lengths back.
"Every time I looked away, Joel had crept up a couple of spots," Motion said. "It was an impressive performance and an impressive ride by Joel. She did everything right. I'll have to look for bigger fish because I thought her win today was very nice."
"She broke a little bit slow, and then after that it was all her," Rosario said. "It looked like she just wanted to follow somebody the whole time. I just thought that's the way she's probably used to running in Europe. She did well for her first time here. Graham just told me to be comfortable where you are and take it from there.
"I knew I had to wait a little bit going into the turn, but she was able to pick up again and get going, kicking on to the wire."
Off at odds of 6-1, Mrs. Sippy returned $14.60 on a $2 win ticket and finished in 2:13.62 on turf rated firm. She was racing for the first time since June 8, when she finished seventh in the Betway Pinnacle Stakes (G3) at Haydock Park. After nine starts in Europe for trainer David Simcock and her breeder's St. Albans Bloodstock Limited, she took her record to three wins and two seconds from 10 starts, with earnings of $222,706.
Mrs. Sippy is the first foal out of the Encosta De Lago mare Qushchi, who won the 2013 Waya Stakes at Saratoga for Stone and Motion and was second in the Keertana Stakes at Churchill Downs and third in the Bewitch Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland. Mrs. Sippy is the only runner from five foals for the mare, who produced a Speightstown filly in 2016 named Souila, dropped a Blame filly in 2017 named Palamos, foaled a Lope de Vega colt in 2018, and had a son of Siyouni March 21.