Accomplished Girl backs up Asmussen's prediction in Pan Zareta score

In the four races she’d won, including a Kentucky Downs allowance in September, her first start for trainer Steve Asmussen, Accomplished Girl had led from start to finish. Asmussen, however, earlier this week stated his belief that Accomplished Girl could sit behind other speed horses in the pace-laden Pan Zareta Stakes on Saturday at Fair Grounds and produce a strong stretch kick – and he was correct.

Getting a great trip under Jareth Loveberry, Accomplished Girl rated early in fourth, cut the corner full of momentum, opened a big lead in upper stretch, and held firm to win the $100,000 Pan Zareta by 1 1/2 lengths.

Second in the turf sprint for older fillies and mares was Cupids Crush, who flew through the final quarter mile, moving up from last of 11 into the place spot, a head in front of Hollywood Walk. Cloudwalker, the 5-2 favorite, checked in eighth after establishing an early position far too close to the lead for a filly who prefers galloping at the rear and making one late run.

Accomplished Girl ran 5 1/2 furlongs over a firm course in 1:04.51 and paid $20, far more than she should have, given her clearly contending form. Asmussen trains the 4-year-old filly for AP Gentry’s Gentry Farms, and Accomplished Girl has about as turf-sprint oriented a pedigree as you’ll find in North America: By Street Boss and out Dazzle, a mare by Twirling Candy.

Accomplished Girl, with all her early pace, still found herself outrun to the front by two horses drawn inside her, Bosserati and Moonlit Lady, those two ripping through a quarter in 22.32. Loveberry had Accomplished Girl snugged along the fence going around the Pan Zareta’s bend, and when Bosserati conveniently tried to get out at the quarter pole, it opened a hole along the rail. Accomplished Girl, as her trainer predicted, had switched off and was ready to roll. She hit the gap, came out of it full of run, and went on to a convincing victory in the Pan Zareta Stakes.

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