Reagan's Flame Sizzles in Taking Masters
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Photo: Coady Media/Renee Torbit
Reagan's Flame pulls away late to capture the Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes at Presque Isle Downs
As co-owners, the green-and-white silks of Teresa and Vinnie Viola's St. Elias Stable have been worn to victory this year by Jose Ortiz on Golden Tempo🔥 in the Belmont Stakes (G1), and by Kendrick Carmouche on Deterministic🔥 in the Fourstardave Stakes (G1T), among other races.
And now, by Edgard Zayas in guiding favored Reagan's Flame to victory in the $300,000 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes (G2) Sept. 18.
The Violas are partners in Reagan's Flame with BAG Racing Stables, Turf Express Racing, and Watkins Diamond Stables, and Friday night at Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pa., she earned her first grade 2 victory and third graded win of her 24-race career. The victory pushed her record to 4-0-1 in five starts this year when competing on all-weather surfaces. She also finished fifth in a turf start in June.
Fourth leaving the turn of the 6 1/2-furlong Masters, Reagan's Flame began to reel in the leaders once she leveled out in the stretch. She ran down early leader Paris Carver  late to win by three-quarters of a length. She completed 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.62 while closing behind fractions of :22.64 and :44.90.
Paris Carver held the place over show finisher Les Reys , whose rally stalled in the final sixteenth.
Reagan's Flame ($4) is a Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained 5-year-old daughter of Flameaway  out of the Mizzen Mast mare Mizzen Donald .
Flameaway stood for a $10,000 fee earlier this year at Darby Dan Farm in Kentucky.