Sharing Emerges Triumphant in Tepin Stakes
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Photo: Coady Photography
Sharing wins the Tepin Stakes at Churchill Downs
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gainesway Stable's Sharing proved that her well of talent runs deep May 23, when she cruised to a half-length victory in the $100,000 Tepin Stakes at Churchill Downs.
Trained by Graham Motion, the 3-year-old filly entered the Tepin off a six-month break but looked perfectly fit as she wound her way around the Louisville turf. Breaking sharply under jockey Manuel Franco, Sharing made her way straight to the front before settling just off the pace in fourth.
In Good Spirits and jockey Miguel Mena took control from the break and led the field through fractions of :24.16 and :48.39 for the first half-mile. Outburst, under Javier Castellano, pressed In Good Spirits and cut the filly's margin to a half-length as six furlongs went in 1:12.33.
Sharing dueled with Walk In Marrakesh along the backstretch before she managed to get up for third behind Outburst entering the second turn. Abscond was well back in sixth place heading into the stretch but was guided out five wide and spurred on by Tyler Gaffalione in deep stretch.
Sharing took a half-length lead exiting the turn and pressed onward to the wire. Abscond came dangerously close to the frontrunner, but ran out of time at the wire. Sharing completed the mile in 1:36.26 on turf rated firm.
"It's great seeing her back to her form from last year," Franco said. "She's very classy, but it makes your job easier when you have nice horses underneath you."
Pass the Plate came from near the back of the field and got up to take third. In Good Spirits held for fourth, followed by Alms, Dominga, Walk in Marrakesh, Moral Reasoning, Jezebel's Kitten, Queen of God, Outburst, Eve of War, and Oxum Power.
The Tepin was the fourth consecutive score for Sharing and her third stakes victory. She won the Selima Stakes and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) at 2 before taking the rest of the year off.
Bred in Maryland by Sagamore Farm, Sharing is the fourth foal out of Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) winner Shared Account (by Pleasantly Perfect), who has also produced stakes winner Riley's Choice. Sharing was purchased for $350,000 by Eclipse Thoroughbreds from the consignment of Upson Downs Farm to The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale.
The daughter of Speightstown improved her record to 4-0-1 from five starts with earnings of $787,340.
Smooth Like Strait Sails Home in War Chant Stakes
Cannon Thoroughbreds' homebred Smooth Like Strait took home the first stakes win of his sophomore season with a frontrunning score in the $100,000 War Chant Stakes for 3-year-olds on the turf.
Ridden by John Velazquez, Smooth Like Strait made a beeline to the front of the field from the break and dueled Island Commish for the lead. Island Commish, under Paco Lopez, clicked off fractions of :23.90, :48.24, and 1:12.33 through six furlongs as Smooth Like Strait slowly chipped away at his lead. The pair ran virtually unchallenged rounding the turn for home, and it was another five lengths back to Hieronymus in third.
Running three wide at the top of the stretch and into the lane, Smooth Like Strait was spurred home by Velazquez and kicked clear by 3 1/2 lengths with the finish line in sight. Island Commish dropped back drastically in the stretch, fading to 12th. The opening gave Pixelate and jockey Joel Rosario the room they needed to challenge Smooth Like Strait in the final strides.
Smooth Like Strait wins the War Chant Stakes at Churchill Downs
The move came too late as Smooth Like Strait crossed the wire in front by 1 3/4 lengths to finish the one-mile grass race in 1:36.77. Pixelate held for second, followed by Field Pass in third.
"The turf was really firm the entire day, and I was really excited about my horse's chances," Velazquez said. "Then, right before the race, the rain started, but I'm really proud that he handled everything well. He ran a hard race."
Smooth Like Strait finished second in his only other start of the season, the Feb. 29 Pasadena Stakes at Santa Anita Park. He won at Del Mar at 2 when he took the Cecil B. DeMille Stakes (G3T) with a wire-to-wire run.
Bred in Kentucky, Smooth Like Strait is out of the Flower Alley mare Smooth as Usual. Trained by Mike McCarthy, the son of Midnight Lute has a 3-1-1 record from seven starts with $178,323 in earnings.
Video: Tepin S. (BT)