1/15/06
Last updated: 1/14/06 9:19 PM
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Baghdaria (inside) was heads down to win the Silverbulletday
(Lou Hodges Jr.) |
Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch’s BAGHDARIA (Royal Academy) gave up the lead
to the previously unbeaten French Park (Ecton Park) but did not give up the
chase in Saturday’s $269,200
Silverbulletday S. (G3), re-rallying boldly in the
final strides to win by a head. The bay three-year-old filly captured her stakes
debut and notched her third straight victory for trainer Bret Calhoun. She
completed 1 1/16 miles over the fast track in 1:46.
“We liked her before we ever started her the first time,” Calhoun said. “We
wanted to stretch her out — she tried a one-turn mile and was a little too
aggressive. We know she has a grass pedigree, but we thought she had a good
shot. You’re not going to get to run for a quarter-million dollars in a Grade 3
like this too many times. We thought she fit as well as any other horse in
here.”
Baghdaria broke on top in the Fair Grounds at Louisiana Downs event but
conceded the advantage to Seen Dancing (Souvenir Copy), who set splits of :23
3/5 and :48 1/5, with Baghdaria and jockey Clifton Berry trailing by about a
length. The eventual winner was only a head back through three-quarters in 1:13
3/5 and took over as the pacesetter began to falter, but French Park charged up
on the outside to grab the lead in upper stretch. The 3-5 favorite appeared on
her way to her fourth straight decision, but Baghdaria battled back in deep
stretch to eke out the narrow upset.
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Off at nearly 11-1, Baghdaria returned $23.60, $6.80 and $5, and keyed the
$47 exacta with French Park, who totaled $2.40 and $2.10. It was 4 1/2 lengths
back to the 4-1 Capozzene (Capote), who gave back $2.60 for the show. The
trifecta paid $338 and the 6-5-7-8 superfecta, with the 9-1 Devine Laughter
(Saint Ballado) on the bottom, was $832.20. Seen Dancing, Hoochie Glide (High
Yield), Cintarosa (Grand Slam) and Wild Tonight (Wild Again) rounded out the
order of finish.
Bred in Kentucky by Bentley L. Smith, Baghdaria sold for $52,000 at the 2004
Keeneland September Yearling sale and is the second foal out of the stakes-placed Oatsee
(Unbridled), who hails from the same female family as three-time Grade 1 winner Tappiano (Fappiano). The nine-year-old dam has an unnamed two-year-old
and a yearling, both fillies by Orientate.
With the Silverbulletday win, Baghdaria moved her line to 5-3-0-2 with
$206,240 in earnings.
