Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. trained the late Three Ring (Notebook) for two
seasons, during which the chestnut mare captured the Acorn S. (G1), Davona Dale
S. (G2) and Bonnie Miss S. (G2). However, it was her exploits at Calder —
victories in the My Dear Girl S. and Susan’s Girl S. — en route to a third in
the 1998 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) that resulted in a stakes being
named for her.
On Saturday, Plesa scored in his charge’s namesake race, the $100,000
Three
Ring S., at Calder with another juvenile filly, STOLEN PRAYER (Songandaprayer).
Owned by Bea Oxenberg, David Mellin and Marion Montanari, the chestnut miss
settled in just behind the pacesetter in the early running before taking over
and and taking the 8 1/2-furlong event by a length under Eddie Castro. Stolen
Prayer stopped the clock over the fast track in 1:50.
“Of all the races with names on them, this is naturally the one I wanted to
win the most,” Plesa said.
Stolen Prayer was sent off the 5-2 second choice in the six-horse field,
paying $7.40, $3.40 and $2.60 while keying the $24.20 exacta, $118.20 trifecta
and $315.20 superfecta (5-2-4-6). Capozzene (Capote) held second by four lengths
over El Bank Robber (Eltish), returning $3.20 and $2.60 as the 8-5 favorite,
while show gave back $3.40. Mia’s Reflection (Halo’s Image), early leader Golden
Silk (Songandaprayer) and Secret Brook (Montbrook) completed the order under the
wire.
Stolen Prayer earned her first stakes victory with this one, and now sports a
6-3-2-0 career mark. She’s placed in two other stakes, the My Dear Girl S. and
Joe O’Farrell Juvenile Fillies S., and has accumulated $211,230 in earnings.
“The time off this summer was because of bucked shins,” Plesa said of the
near four-month break Stolen Prayer took. “She bucked as bad as any horse I’ve
ever had, but came back great. I don’t have a specific plan for her after this.
We’ll let her tell us.”
The Three Ring S. was one of four stakes on Calder’s Grand Slam I program,
and the colts
had their say as well when Dogwood Stable’s SAINT AUGUSTUS (Saint Ballado)
posted a slight upset at 11-1 in the $100,000
What
a Pleasure S. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the chestnut was settled near
the back of the seven-horse field in the early going, before coming out in the
final turn. He took over in upper stretch and pulled away for the 2
1/2-length win. In the process, Saint Augustus gave jockey Ramon Dominguez his
2,500th career win.
Saint Augustus ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:47 4/5 and rewarded his backers with
payouts of $24, $9.60 and $5.40. Big Lover (Ecton Park) completed the $151.20
exacta and gave back $7.20 and $4.80 at 7-1. Rehoboth (Wagon Limit) returned
$7.40 while ending the $1,276.80 trifecta and was followed by 7-5 favorite
Flanders Fields (A.P. Indy), who rounded out the nice $5,249.20 superfecta
(3-1-2-6). Next came Electrify (Delaware Township), Changing Weather (Storm
Boot) and First Movement (Concerto).
Saint Augustus was third in the Storm Cat S. prior to this one and improved
his record to 5-2-0-1, $90,650.
Also featured on the Grand Slam I program were the My Charmer H. (G3) and
Tropical Turf H. (G3), which were won by SNOWDROPS (GB) (Gulch) and SILVER TREE
(Hennessy), respectively.