Geroux Guides Sarah Sis to Raven Run Victory

Under a patient and heady ride by red-hot Florent Geroux, 17-1 shot Sarah Sis wore down the pacesetting 3-2 favorite Bar of Gold for a one-length victory in the Lexus Raven Run (gr. II) at Keeneland Racecourse Oct. 17.



Trained by Ingrid Mason for Joe Ragsdale, Sarah Sis came into seven-furlong Raven Run over a fast main track off a sixth-place finish as the 3-2 favorite in the Charles Town Oaks (gr. III). The Raven Run marked the first time Geroux rode the filly since the 3-year-old Sharp Humor defeated eventual Kentucky Oks (gr. I) winner Lovely Maria in an allowance at Keeneland last October.

A normal front-runner Sarah Sis this time sat off right off Bar of Gold through fractions of :23.23 and :46.37. Sarah Sis, racing in the middle of the track, collared Bar of Gold just as three-quarters of a mile was completed in 1:10.42 and the race was over. Final time was 1:22.96.



Sarah Sis, who won the Iowa Oaks (gr. III) before she shipped to Saratoga Race Course and held the lead before weakening late to finish fourth in the grade I Ballerina previous to the Charles Town Oaks, paid $36, $13.80, and $7.60. Bar of Gold, coming off consecutive seconds in grade I and grade II company in New York, returned $3.60 and $2.80. I'm a Looker paid $13.40.

The victory improved her record to 6-3-0 from 13 starts and increased her earnings to $566,400.

Mason said although Sarah Sis had been running more on the front end, she had run well from off the pace in the past.

"We all knew she had it, but that's why I hire jockeys, to make that decision out of the gate," she said. "If she was going on her own easy, then go on with it. If not, then sit on it and she obviously can come from off the pace."

Mason said Sarah Sis will now be given a 30-break from competition.

"Someone else wanted to go and was able to set very reasonable fractions," Geroux said. "I was able to sit (off the pace) and my filly was very relaxed where she was. Down the stretch when I asked her, she gave everything she's got. She was very brave. She did the rest.



"She was spinning her wheels a little bit at the quarter pole, but when she found her stride she was going away. That's a very nice, very talented filly."

Emerald Gal, the dam of Sarah Sis who is in foal to Street Sense  , and the Raven Run winner's weanling half sister by Sidney's Candy   are both cataloged in the Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Bred in Kentucky by veterinarian Catherine Renee White, Sarah Sis was purchased by Ragsdale for $20,000 from the Doble Jak consignment to the 2014 Ocala Breeders' Sales Company June  2-year-olds and horses of racing age sale. The first time through the ring, the filly was bought by Luis Chonqui for $10,000 from Bluewater Sales at the Keeneland September yearling sale.