Mare tastes sweet success in Shirley Jones

Sugar Swirl stormed to victory in the Shirley Jones (Adam Coglianese)

Stronach Stables’ homebred SUGAR SWIRL (Touch Gold) recorded her fourth
straight stakes win on Saturday when easily drawing off in the $170,000
Shirley Jones H. (G2)
at Gulfstream Park. With Javier Castellano in the
irons, the Brian Lynch trainee pulled off the hat trick over the track, stringing together victories in the First Lady H. (G3) and Hurricane Bertie H.
(G3) prior to this seven-furlong test.

When the gates opened, Shaggy Mane (Bertrando) quickly showed speed to get to
the lead but was soon joined by Featherbed (Smart Strike) to her outside. While
Sugar Swirl was content to track in the second flight of runners, those two
battled it out through splits of :22 1/5 and :44 4/5. As the field entered the
turn, the chestnut mare moved up to the outside of Shaggy Mane, Featherbed and
Baroness Thatcher (Johannesburg), who had joined the leaders on the backstretch.
The eventual winner circled her rivals four wide and easily pulled off in the
stretch, stopping
the clock in 1:22 2/5 on the fast track.

Sent off the 3-5 favorite, Sugar Swirl was worth $3.40, $2.20 and $2.10 while
keying the $12.60 exacta, $34.40 trifecta and $111.80 superfecta (2-5-3-6).
Baroness Thatcher was 2 3/4 lengths up on 7-2 second choice Shaggy Mane, paying $3.40 and $2.40 as
the 9-2 third pick, and show gave back $2.60.
Featherbed edged Dixie Dreamer (Mutakddim) for fourth, while Moon
Catcher (Malibu Moon), who was never in contention, rounded out the field in
sixth.

Sugar Swirl was good as a four-year-old, finishing in the top three in all
but one of her nine starts. Last season she captured the Alyssum S., was second
in the Thoroughbred Club of America S. (G3) and Classy Mirage S., and third in
the Endine S. (G3) and Yank’s Music S. She began her current win streak last
fall, taking the Very Subtle S. at Laurel Park by three lengths, but has really
blossomed as a five-year-old. With Saturday’s winner’s share, the blaze-faced
chestnut now boasts $681,124 in earnings to go along with a 19-9-3-4 career
mark.