NEWS
Maram fulfills destiny in Juv. Fillies Turf - WITH VIDEO
Posted: Friday, October 24, 2008 4:48 PM
MARAM (center, green cap)
Photo by Z/Matt Barton
by Steve Bailey
Trainer Chad Brown, co-owner Karen Woods, and jockey Jose Lezcano all made the most of their first trips to the Breeders' Cup World Championships.
Maram made a powerful move in late stretch and then held off a determined Heart Shaped in the final strides to capture the $1,035,080 Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Friday at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park.
The Sahm filly out of the Quest for Fame (GB) mare American Dreamer, ridden by Lezcano in his first career Breeders' Cup mount and his first ride at Santa Anita, emerged from a pack of challengers at the top of the stretch to engage pacesetter Laragh, who led the field through a quarter-mile in :22.53 and a half-mile in :45.82.
As Maram—whose name means 'destiny' in Arabic—overtook a tiring Laragh, Heart Shaped also made a bold move under jockey Johnny Murtagh, driving to the line shoulder to shoulder with Maram, but missing the winner by just a nose.
Laragh held her position to take third as Maram covered one mile in 1:35.15 on turf rated as firm.
Brown—who saddled Ginger Punch to victory in last year's Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) as an assistant to trainer Bobby Frankel—struck out on his own earlier this year and found himself in the winner's circle in his first Breeders' Cup as trainer of record.
Brown, 29, nearly missed the race following the death of his grandfather, Elmer Maynard, earlier this week in upstate New York.
"There's been a lot of highs and lows this week," Brown said. "Losing my grandfather was tough, but it was a family decision to be here. He would have wanted me here.
"He was a big fan of mine and was very proud of me that I went out on my own and started winning races."
Woods, whose only horse is now a Breeders' Cup winner, said the victory was almost too exciting to process. Woods co-owns Maram with Saud bin Khaled.
"It's unbelievable; it's exactly what her name means," Woods said.
Maram, who Woods owns in partnership with Saud bin Khaled, remained unbeaten following a victory in a maiden claiming race on August 25 at Saratoga Race Course and a neck victory over Juvenile Fillies Turf challenger Freedom Rings in the Miss Grillo Stakes (G3) on October 1 at Belmont Park.
"I don't think she gets a lot of respect, but she's a really good filly, trust me," Brown said.
Maram was bred in Kentucky by Palisades Investments N. V. and Hair 'Em Corp. and boosted her career earnings to $733,320.
For a video replay of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, click here.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Steve Bailey is deputy news editor of Thoroughbred Times
