NEWS
Miss Fortunate drives to Turfway Breeders' Cup win
Posted: Saturday, September 17, 2005
Lyon Stable's Miss Fortunate, under a perfectly timed ride by jockey Larry Melancon, wore down Whoopi Cat and held off a bid by Sheer Luck to score a half-length victory in the $175,000 Turfway Breeders' Cup Stakes (G3) on Saturday at Turfway Park.
Nine fillies and mares three years old and older lined up for the 1 1/16-mile contest over Turfway's main course, and Tempus Fugit, a perfect three-for-three at Turfway prior to the installation of the new Polytrack surface, took the early lead, with 48.10-to-1 longshot Tango for Tips in hot pursuit. The pair raced down the backstretch well clear of the rest of the field and turning into the stretch Tango for Tips put her nose in front. But when an upset appeared in the making, both Sheer Luck and Whoopi Cat charged up on the outside to wrest command from the leaders. Behind them Miss Fortunate split horses and angled towards the rail to come charging up for the victory over a fast track. Sheer Luck held for second, a neck clear of Whoopi Cat.
Time was 1:44.48, and set a track record for 1 1/16 miles on the new Polytrack surface.
A five-year-old Deputy Minister mare, Miss Fortunate had raced competitively in stakes this year and last year, but had been unable to get to the winner's circle in graded competition. She started her five-year-old campaign at Aqueduct with a second in the Affectionately Handicap followed by a win in the Rare Treat Handicap.
Bred by Summerwind Farm, Miss Fortunate improved to seven wins from 23 starts and boosted her earnings to $480,095. She is out of the Secretariat mare Fantastic Ways.
See chart, courtesy of Equibase at
http://www.equibase.com
