NEWS
Informed Decision puts streak on line in Ballerina
Posted: Wednesday, August 26, 2009 8:09 PM
INFORMED DECISION
Four Footed Fotos
by Frank Angst
Informed Decision will put her five-race win streak on the line when she starts in Saturday’s $300,000 Ballerina Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.
She will be tested by two-time champion Indian Blessing, three-time Grade 1 winner Music Note, and three other accomplished challengers in the seven-furlong race for fillies and mares three years old and older.
In three starts this year, Informed Decision has secured victories in the Humana Distaff Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs (video) and Vinery Madison Stakes (G1) at Keeneland Race Course (video), and enters off a 4¾-length romp in the Chicago Handicap (G3) on July 4 at Arlington Park (video).
A four-year-old Monarchos filly trained by Jonathan Sheppard for owner Augustin Stable, Informed Decision has specialized at the seven-furlong race, the distance of all five of her races during the win streak.
"She's been a pleasant surprise," Racing Hall of Fame trainer Sheppard said. "Many of our better horses seem to be turf horses and this one is dirt. … Our horse has speed. She went to the front at Arlington Park the last time because there wasn't very much speed in that race, so she can go wherever the jockey wants to be, really."
Hal and Patti Earnhardt’s Indian Blessing will be making her second start since finishing second to Big City Man in the Gulf News Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1) on March 28 at Nad al Sheba (video). The champion two-year-old filly of 2007 and champion female sprinter of ’08 finished fourth in the Desert Stormer Handicap on June 14 at Hollywood Park.
Trained by Bob Baffert, Indian Blessing secured two Grade 1 wins at seven furlongs last year: the La Brea Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park and the Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.
In her first start of the year, Godolphin Racing’s Music Note finished fifth in the Ogden Phipps Handicap (G1) on June 13 on a track rated as good at Belmont Park. Last year, the A.P. Indy filly won three Grade 1 races at Belmont: the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), Mother Goose Stakes (G1), and Gazelle Stakes (G1).
Also entered in the Ballerina are Modification, who finished third in this year’s Humana Distaff, and stakes winners Tar Heel Mom and P. S. U. Grad.
Frank Angst is senior writer for Thoroughbred Times
