Cilla Upsets Souper Sensational in Prioress
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Janet Garaguso
Cilla turns away Souper Sensational to win the Prioress Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
Even at the graded stakes level, select Louisiana-breds are showing they can take their show on the road to New York.
Last year, No Parole went to Belmont Park and came away with a victory in the Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Claiborne Farm (G1). Then Sept. 4 at Saratoga Race Course, another Louisiana-bred triumphed when Cilla turned away favored Souper Sensational by a half-length to capture the $242,500 Prioress Stakes (G2).
Though Cilla had lost prior graded stakes efforts—finishing third, beaten 12 1/4 lengths in the Frizette Stakes (G1) last fall, and sixth in the Beaumont Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (G3) this spring—she proved she belonged Saturday. She stalked the pace in the six-furlong race in fourth, advanced into second on the turn when moving in tandem with Souper Sensational, and was resurgent down the lane after that rival had poked a head in front. Cilla finished the distance in 1:10.05 on a fast track following fractions of :22.25 and :45.06 set by Edie Meeny Miny Mo .
She survived an inquiry and claim of foul from Ricardo Santana Jr., who rode runner-up Souper Sensational for owner Live Oak Plantation and trainer Mark Casse. Cilla came out under left-handed urging from her rider, Tyler Gaffalione, lightly bumping the runner-up. Stewards let the result stand.
"That's not the way you want to do things. You want to ride a clean race and keep a straight path," said Gaffalione. "Unfortunately, my filly was just getting a little bit tired and every time I asked her she wanted to come out a little bit. But we never crossed that line and I was pretty confident that we were going to stay up."
Li'l Tootsie ran third, 1 1/4 lengths behind the runner-up. Oxana and Edie Meeny Miny Mo completed the order of finish following the scratch of Amendment Nineteen in the race for sophomore fillies.
Although Charlton Baker was the trainer of record for her New York start Saturday, Cilla has raced for much of her career for trainer Brett Brinkman, who was on hand to watch the Prioress. Brinkman bred her with P. Dale Ladner, who owns the California Chrome filly.
"I don't run any horses in New York. I may come up once a year and the girl that rubs this horse (Lisa Whitaker) used to work for Charlie," Brinkman said.
Now a winner of five of 10 starts and $326,000, Cilla previously won the Blue Sparkler Stakes in open company at Monmouth Park July 10.
"She's fast and she's a 3-year-old. There's limited opportunities for those fillies," said Brinkman. "We felt like after we got her on track a couple of races ago and that we were going to let her step along and buy her way to the next one. She's obviously bought her way to this one."
Brinkman also trained her dam for Ladner—the multiple stakes-winning Into Mischief mare Sittin At the Bar , who went 11-for-19 and made $705,896.
Cilla ($23.40) is one of three stakes winners from four foals produced by Sittin At the Bar. Others include Club Car (Malibu Moon ), who this year captured the West Virginia Secretary of State Stakes and was also runner-up in the Chicago Stakes (G3), and Jack the Umpire (Bodemeister ), who captured the Jean Lafitte Stakes.
The dam also has a yearling filly by Lord Nelson named Alva Starr. She was bred to Frosted for 2022.