Minding Coasts Clear in Pretty Polly
Description:
Coolmore and partners' dual English classic winner Minding ran down pacesetter Bocca Baciata and drew away to an easy win in the Sea The Stars Pretty Polly Stakes (Ire-I) June 26 at the Curragh.
A daughter of Galileo, Minding scored by 4 1/2 lengths as the 1-5 favorite. Bocca Baciata held for second, five lengths ahead of Lucida.
Bocca Baciata, an Irish group III winner, was out to the front early and opened a six-length advantage, with Minding rating in third, in the 1 1/4-mile race.
Jockey Ryan Moore urged Minding to go after the leader with a quarter-mile to run, but still had five lengths to catch the front-runner. She accelerated impressively, however, and wore down the runner-up in the final eighth and drew clear.
Lucida, runner-up in the One Thousand Guineas, went to third late after racing in last halfway through.
The final time was 2:09.95 on turf rated as yielding.
Minding earned a fifth group I victory, including the One Thousand Guineas and Investec Epsom Oaks (both Eng-I) this spring, and was runner-up in the Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-I). Never off the board in nine starts, she also has wins in the 2015 Moyglare Stud Stakes (Ire-I) and Dubai Fillies Mile (Eng-I).
"She is a great filly," winning trainer Aidan O'Brien said. "She loves her racing and is getting very relaxed. Ryan was delighted with her, and we will look at something like the Nassau (Eng-I). She has two options really for her next run, the Irish Oaks (Ire-I) and the Nassau, and we are eyeing the Irish Oaks with Even Song."
Moore said Minding was geared down through the final eighth.
"She picked up to get there, and then we shut down in the last furlong and coasted," he said. "There's more there again if we need it. She's a high-class filly and she's adaptable. She's gone on a variety of ground.
"It's some performance from a filly that's had two Guineas and an Oaks to come here. It's a tough schedule and to keep her still progressing is a magnificent achievement."
Minding was bred in Ireland by Orpendale, Chelston, and Wynatt from Coolmore and partners' group I winner Lillie Langtry, also the dam of Kissed by Angels, a full sister to Minding.