Lady Eli Draws Clear in Miss Grillo Tally
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Lady Eli blew past battling front-runners in the stretch and drew clear to victory in the $200,000 Miss Grillo Stakes (gr. IIIT) for 2-year-old fillies Sept. 28 at Belmont Park.
Lady Eli galloped on under a hand ride from Irad Ortiz Jr. to win by a comfortable three lengths.
Sheep Pond Partners' Lady Eli was eager to race but settled into a striking position just behind pacesetter Greywalls and 50-1 shot Margaret Reay. Set down five wide into the stretch, she uncoiled powerful strides to take charge from those two in the final furlong and won going away for trainer Chad Brown.
Lady Eli covered 1 1/16 miles firm turf 1:43.50. She captured her debut by a neck going the same distance Aug. 25 at Saratoga Race Course.
Margaret Reay held for second under Luis Saez, while Brown-trained 6-5 favorite Tammy the Torpedo was up for third, 4 1/4 lengths back in the 11-horse field.
Brown had a three-pronged attack for the race that also included fourth-place finisher Partisan Politics.
"Outstanding performance," Brown said after the race. "(Lady Eli) had trained like a horse with a ton of ability. ...To start your career 2-for-2, as impressive as those races have been, is great. You can't ask for more."
Ortiz said Lady Eli put them in a perfect spot.
"I wanted to be covered up; I had to stay there, sit third. As soon as I asked her, she took off. The trainer did a great job with her. He always told me, 'She's a nice filly and she's training great.'
"The pace was going a little slow (:25.47 and :51.48, and 1:15.86 through six furlongs). That's why she was a little keen."
Despite the pace, Lady Eli ran her final 2 1/2 furlongs in a blistering :27.64.
By Divine Park out of Sacre Coeur, by Saint Ballado, Lady Eli is a half sister to two-time grade III winner Bizzy Caroline. Runnymede Farm and Catesby W. Clay bred the dark brown filly in Kentucky.
Sent twice to public auction, Kentucky-bred Lady Eli was a $160,000 purchase by Bradley Thoroughbreds at the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale when offered by Runnymede Farm's agency. Eddie Woods sent her through the ring at the Keeneland April 2-year-olds in training sale, where she brought the same price from Jay Hanley.
Lady Eli paid $9.80, $6.40, and $3.20, while Margaret Reay returned $36.80 and $12.40. Tammy the Torpedo brought $2.30.
Graywalls was fifth, followed by Ancient Goddess, My Cara Mia, Lady Bling, Skinner Box, Nicky's Brown Miss, and Titanium Jo. Amazing Anne scratched.