Wootton Asset Cashes In on Firm Turf in Virginia Derby
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Photo: Coady Photography
Wootton Asset wins the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs
Wootton Asset was brought to America with the hope he could race on firm ground, only to catch damp turf in three of his first five U.S. starts.
That changed Aug. 31 in the $250,000 New Kent County Virginia Derby (G3T) at Colonial Downs, and a victory ensued for the Madaket Stables-owned runner. The 3-year-old Wootton Bassett colt captured his first stakes race, also winning for the first time since taking his first two starts in France last year as a 2-year-old.
The turf course at Colonial on Tuesday wasn't just firm; it was blazing fast. In rallying to victory, Wootton Asset raced 1 1/8 miles in 1:46.79 under Jose Ortiz after comfortable fractions of :23.96, :48.13, and 1:11.24 set by Indian Lake .
Slicked Back rallied under Fernando De La Cruz to grab second, beaten three-quarters of a length, followed in third by It Can Be Done and in fourth by Hidden Enemy . Favored Experienced was fifth, and Indian Lake tired to sixth.
The winner survived a stewards' inquiry and a claim of foul by De La Cruz, who alleged interference leaving the final turn as Ortiz angled out his mount, who had advanced from seventh down the backstretch. The objection was dismissed upon review by the stewards.
"I improved my position on the backside. I think that's where I won the race," said Ortiz. "The horse was ready too … by the three-eighths pole, I felt like I had a lot of horse, and I went on, and he did his job."
Though Wootton Asset had been on a seven-race losing streak, five times in the U.S., he had shown promise with a runner-up finish in the Laurel Futurity last year and a third-place finish in the Kent Stakes (G3T) this year.
"This is a cool horse. He finally got his good ground today," said winning trainer Graham Motion.
The connections of Wootton Asset in the winner's circle following the Virginia Derby
Bred in France by Ecurie Haras du Cadran & Mme. Patrick Ades-Hazan, Wootton Asset was initially bought by Carlos and Yann Lerner for the equivalent of $41,253 at the 2019 Arqana Deauville October Yearling Sale from the Cadran consignment. He then raced for Paul Le Solleu and Ecurie Ades Hazan in France.
Nicolas de Watrigant brokered the private purchase of Wootton Asset that brought him to the U.S., according to a tweet from BSW/Crow Bloodstock.
Wootton Asset ($11.20) is out of the unraced Librettist mare Love Liu , who has produced five winners from six foals. He is the first stakes winner for his dam, who also has an unnamed, unraced 2-year-old colt by Charm Spirit .
The winner improved his overall record to three wins, a second, and two thirds from 10 starts. His earnings stand at $250,245.
Video: New Kent County Virginia Derby (G3T)
A race before the Virginia Derby, G. Watts Humphrey Jr.'s Flippant scored her third consecutive victory with a come-from-behind score in the $150,000 Woodford Reserve Virginia Oaks under Rafael Bejarano.
The Vicki Oliver-trained 3-year-old gray daughter of Tapit , backed to 2-1 favoritism after winning a pair of races on turf this summer at Ellis Park, was no less effective over the Colonial Downs lawn. Near the back of the pack down the backstretch as Belle Belisa set pressured splits of :23.31, :46.35, and 1:10.20 in the 1 1/8-mile race, she still had eight horses to pass after angling toward the outside for the stretch run. But she managed it, moving into third in midstretch, and powering past runner-up Invincible Gal and third-place Gold for Kitten in the closing yards. A length and a quarter was her margin of victory.
Double Blessed ran fourth.
Flippant raced 1 1/8 miles in a course record 1:46.47. She returned $6.60 to win as the betting favorite in the field of 12.
Flippant wins the Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs
Bred by her owner in Kentucky, Flippant is out of the Empire Maker mare Frivolous . She is the second black-type runner out of her dam, who won the Falls City Handicap (G2) and Fleur de Lis Handicap (G2), both at Churchill Downs. The dam's other black-type performer is Never Forget (War Front ), who ran third in the Eight Belles Stakes Presented by Twinspires.com (G2) at Churchill in 2020.
Three of the dam's five foals are unraced, only one of the three of racing age. They include Levity , a 2-year-old colt by Candy Ride , an unnamed yearling colt by Quality Road , and a Constitution filly foaled this year. Frivolous was bred to Improbable for 2022.
Video: Woodford Reserve Virginia Oaks (BT)
Also Tuesday at Colonial, Epic Luck became the first black-type stakes winner for sire Madefromlucky when he took the $100,000 Woodford Reserve Kitten's Joy Stakes for 2-year-olds, one of three other stakes on the Colonial card. A homebred for Mark Ashby and William Gotwals, Epic Luck is trained by Lynn Ashby and was ridden by Aubrie Green.
Madefromlucky stands at Northview Stallion Station in Maryland. His advertised fee in 2021 was $5,000.