America All the Way in Turnback the Alarm

Pacesetter America turned back a mild challenge entering the stretch and scooted clear to win the $200,000 Turnback the Alarm Handicap (gr. III), snapping a five-race winless streak, Oct. 30 at Belmont Park.

 

A 4-year-old daughter of A.P. Indy, America finished 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:41.96 with jockey Chris DeCarlo aboard, improving her career line to 5-0-3 from 18 career starts. 

 

Trained as a homebred by Hall of Famer Bill Mott for star chef Bobby Flay, America paid $8.80, $3.10, and $2.40 as the 118 pound highweight in the eight-horse field. Delightful Joy returned $2.70 and $2.10. Call Pat finished third to pay $2.70 to show.

 

Breaking from the outside post, America vie for command before getting clear. She opened a 1 1/2-length advantage through a half-mile in :47.32 and by a length as six furlongs went in 1:11.55, with La Madrina drawing ever closer to her outside before drawing even for the stretch run. 

 

The 3-1 second choice, America knuckled down for DeCarlo and edged away in the final furlong, with Delightful Joy finishing willingly for second, 1 1/2 lengths back as the favorite. Call Pat, last through the opening half, went six wide into upper stretch and stayed on for third, 1 3/4 lengths back. 

 

Tiring La Madrina hung on for fourth, followed by Joint Return, Stiffed, Holiday's Jewel, and Imposing Grace to complete the order of finish. Pangburn was scratched.

 

A 4-year-old out of the winning Fasliyev mare Lacadena, America has faced grade I competition in four of her five previous starts, with her best finish—a third—coming in the Delaware Handicap July 18. Over the winter at Aqueduct Racetrack, she captured three successive races, capped by a nose victory in the Affectionately Stakes New Year's Day—in her only visit to the winner's circle this prior to the Turnback the Alarm. Last year, the bay filly was third in both the Mother Goose (gr. I) at Belmont and Gulfstream Oaks (gr. II).

 

Kentucky-bred America, who is from the family of Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour, champion and classic winner Rags to Riches and classic winner Jazil, was a $725,000 RNA under consignor Denali Stud's agency when offered at Keeneland September in 2012. She has bankrolled $551,532 thus far in her career. 

 

Flay will have a runner at the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland on Saturday as his Dame Dorothy is entered in the Twinspires Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I).