Maggi Moss’ Big World grabbed command of Friday’s $300,000 La Troienne Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs and led all the way to the wire to kick off the stakes action on Kentucky Oaks Day 2017.
Jockey Florent Geroux was aboard the four-year-old bay and guided her through splits of :23.75, :48.28, 1:13.54 and 1:38.46. Streamline tracked in second while Romantic Vision ranged up to be third leaving the backstretch.
Big World paid no attention to those rivals, continuing to motor along on the front end around the turn and into the stretch. She eventually crossed under the wire 1 1/4 lengths the best and stopped the clock in 1:44.91 for 1 1/16 miles over the sloppy, sealed track.
Romantic Vision got up to deny Streamline second by three parts of a length and it was another half-length behind the latter to even-money favorite Paid Up Subscriber in fourth. Factory of Faith, Eskenformoney, Impasse and Go Maggie Go completed the order under the line.
Big World was sent off the 7-1 fourth choice in the nine-distaffer field and returned $16 for the win. The Custom for Carlos filly earned her fourth straight victory in this spot, having closed out her sophomore campaign with a neck score in the December 10 Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Stakes at Fair Grounds. She returned in February to romp by four lengths in the Louisiana-bred Premier Night Distaff Stakes at Delta Downs and took an allowance/optional claimer at Oaklawn Park prior to her La Troienne win.
Big World began her career with trainer Tony Dutrow, who saddled her to victory in the 2015 Tempted Stakes (G3), but was transferred Tom Amoss last fall. She captured the Magnolia Stakes in her first outing for Amoss and ran third in the Si Cima Stakes at Fair Grounds before beginning her current win streak. To date, the bay miss has compiled an 11-7-0-4 record and banked $608,820 lifetime.
Bred in Louisiana by Curt Leake and Elm Tree Farm LLC, Big World is out of the unraced Broken Vow mare Tensas Wedding Joy.
LA TROIENNE QUOTES
Florent Geroux, jockey Big World, winner
“Tom (Amoss) left it up to me (whether to go to the lead). She broke good, got to the lead and I saved as much as I could on the backside. When I asked her turning for home, she was there for me and very brave all the way to the wire.”
Tom Amoss, trainer Big World, winner
“I saw some speed in the race, so I left it up to Florent (Geroux). He made the front end and was able to control it up there, and that made all the difference. I’ve had her all winter long.
“I can’t thank (owner) Maggi Moss enough to have the opportunity with this filly. She’s responsible for buying this filly, not me. We just put her in the right spots. Maggi couldn’t be here today, but I know she would say that this is one of biggest moments of her career. Florent, Maggi and I will talk about it, and make some decisions (about Big World’s next start).”
Brian Hernandez Jr., jockey Romantic Vision, second
“When we were turning for home, I thought she was going to catch that filly. She ran a big race.”
Rusty Arnold, trainer Romantic Vision, second
“Walking over for the race, I thought she would run a big one and she did just that. It’s great to run that well in a Grade 1.”
Chris Landeros, jockey Streamline, third
“My hat’s off to her. She always gives me 110 percent. I felt that maybe on a fast track she kind of takes me there a little more and grabs the track and picks herself up on the backside. Today she was on a loose rein and I knew not to push her and let her settle. When I asked her, she gave me a good run the last sixteenth, she just couldn’t handle it as much as she wanted to.”
Brian Williamson, trainer Streamline, third
“She just keeps trying. She dug in and tried. She didn’t break as well as I would have liked. She was all right with the track. Maybe if we would have laid on (Big World) a little more…Speed was carrying and the plan was to lay close. She ran big and you can’t ask for anything more.”
