Pauline’s Pearl Shines in Sam Houston Ladies Repeat
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Photo: Coady Photography
Pauline's Pearl captures the Sam Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston Race Park
Pauline's Pearl began her 2023 season just as she started in 2022, with a decisive score in the $300,000 Sam Houston Ladies Classic Stakes (G3).
Back to back‼️
PAULINE’S PEARL returns to @SHRP to go back to back in the $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic (G3)!
O: @StonestreetFarm
T: Steve Asmussen
J: Stewart Elliott@Txfleming pic.twitter.com/iP1hd0q1z9— Texas Thoroughbred (@TTAtexas) January 28, 2023
The Stonestreet Stables homebred was sent to post as the third choice Jan. 28 in a loaded field that included graded stakes winners Hidden Connection , She Can't Sing , and Sixtythreecaliber . While those three were coming off fairly recent victories, Pauline’s Pearl had been benched since a third-place finish in the Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs in July 2022.
Hidden Connection dictated the terms early, leading the field through splits of :24.08, :47.91, and 1:12.52 while Pauline’s Pearl tracked in fourth under the leading rider at the current Sam Houston Race Park meet, Stewart Elliott. With a quarter mile left to run, Pauline’s Pearl had closed the distance between herself and the leaders, heading Hidden Connections and She Can’t Sing at the top of the lane before driving past those rivals late for a 1 3/4-length score.
Giving trainer Steve Asmussen his fourth win in the Ladies Classic since 2019, Pauline’s Pearl ($10.20) raced the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.69 on a muddy track. Hidden Connection and She Can’t Sing completed the trifecta.
Winner of the La Troienne Stakes (G1) last year on Kentucky Oaks day, the 5-year-old daughter of Tapit —Hot Dixie Chick, by Dixie Union, earned her seventh win from 16 starts and upped her bankroll to $1,873,400.