NEWS
Decelerator regains winning form
in Martha Washington
Posted: Saturday, February 13, 2010 8:33 PM
DECELERATOR
Will Kenser/Coady Photography
To view the Martha Washington Stakes, click here.
by Myra Lewyn
Seeking a measure of redemption following a six-start winless stretch, Decelerator found the path to victory along the rail in the $75,000 Martha Washington Stakes on Saturday at Oaklawn Park.
The three-year-old Dehere filly tracked from fifth then fourth while saving ground under Terry Thompson as Cosmo Girl set the tempo. She took charge late on the final turn after slipping through an opening on the inside and handed previously undefeated Eve Giselle her first loss by one length to regain her winning form.
Eve Giselle, who pressed Cosmo Girl throughout the one-mile race in her stakes debut, finished 1¼ lengths clear of third-place finisher and 31.20-to-1 longshot Bell’s Shoes.
Decelerator, who is trained by Racing Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, covered the distance in 1:38.69 on a track rated as fast as the 2.20-to-1 favorite.
After a rapid rise to begin her career last year when she went from debut winner to graded stakes winner with a victory in the Debutante Stakes (G3) last June at Churchill Downs, Decelerator failed to reach the winner’s circle for Arkansas-based owner Westrock Stables despite racing competitively during the fall. She finished second in the Pocahontas Stakes (G3) and Golden Rod Stakes (G2) to close the season.
Decelerator was just edged in her 2010 debut at Oaklawn, finishing second by a nose to Shotgun Gulch in the Dixie Belle Stakes on January 15, but a rematch failed to materialize on Saturday as that opponent was never a factor in a sixth-place finish.
Rachel Alexandra kicked off her 2009 Horse of the Year campaign with an eight-length romp in last year’s Martha Washington.
For the Equibase chart, click here.
Myra Lewyn is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
