Arlington Lover I'm Already Sexy Aces Modesty
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Hit The Board Stables' I'm Already Sexy ran her record to 4-for-4 on the Arlington International Racecourse turf July 12, a perfectly-timed ride by Florent Geroux assuring her victory in the $200,000 Modesty Handicap (gr. IIIT) .
It was a big day at the Illinois oval for Geroux during the Arlington Million preview day card. He earlier took the $150,000 Stars and Stripes Handicap (gr. IIIT) with The Pizza Man and then won the $200,000 American Derby (gr. IIIT) with Divine Oath before also taking the 1 3/16-mile Modesty. He has been aboard the 4-year-old daughter of Ready's Image for all of her Arlington wins.
"I've had a lot of success with that filly here, 4-for-4 and hopefully we can keep it going and get a grade I," Geroux said.
Winner of the Hatoof Stakes and the Pucker Up (gr. IIIT) last season at Arlington in addition to an allowance score there last July, I'm Already Sexy raced on Lasix for the first time for trainer Wayne Catalano.
"She had a little trickle last time we breezed her; (this race was) a long ways to go and thought it was a perfect time to try (Lasix)," Catalano said.
Handy from post 13 in a field of 14 older fillies and mares, I'm Already Sexy showed good speed early and angled over to a prime stalking position off the outside hip of front-runner I O Ireland. That 59-1 shot led the way for a quarter in :24.40 and a half in :50.22, with I'm Already Sexy applying pressure and eager to go on.
Geroux kept his mount as relaxed as possible while they got three-quarters in 1:15.52, then turned her loose to pass the tiring leader for the sprint down the lane. A cavalcade of runners was descending in the final sixteenth, but after running a mile in 1:39.88 I'm Already Sexy gamely preserved her decision by a neck over Gulsary in a blanket finish. Final time on firm turf was 1:57.56. The winner carried 117.
I'm Already Sexy was sent off at odds of 4-1 and returned $10.60, $5.60, and $4.40 while Gulsary paid $8.80 and $4.40 with third-place finisher Street of Gold bringing $10.20. Every Way, Embarr, I O Ireland, Kepi, Tabreed, Maid On a Mission, Alette, Frivolous, Dance Again, White Rose, and Ana Lusia (BRZ) completed the order of finish. Also-eligible Wave of the Wand was scratched.
"I thought she had controling speed and she'd be wherever she wanted to be," Catalano said regarding the run of I'm Already Sexy. "The 13 hole didn't bother me, she had enough speed to get over."
The Modesty is typically a prep for the Beverly D. Handicap (gr. IT) on Arlington Million Day at Arlington, but Catalano said he would confer with with the filly's owners before deciding on I'm Already Sexy's next target.
It was the first win in three starts this season for I'm Already Sexy. She came off a runner-up finish in the June 7 Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (gr. IIIT) by three-quarters of a length to Honey Hues at Churchill Downs after a sixth off the bench in the May 3 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (gr. IIT).
I'm Already Sexy, bred in Kentucky by Equus Farm out of the Trempolino mare Klohho, was purchased for $20,000 for Hit The Board by Bob Feld, agent, at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale when consigned by Equus in 2011. Her record stands at six wins and a second from 14 outings for earnings of $372,228.