Accomplished Girl leads all the way in Presque Isle Masters

Accomplished Girl added her first stakes victory to her list of accomplishments on Monday night at Presque Isle Downs, catching a flyer out of the gate and holding on all the way for an upset win in the track's signature race, the Grade 2, $300,000 Presque Isle Masters for female sprinters.

Accomplished Girl ($12.40) and Edgard Zayas quickly cleared the field from post 4 in a scratch-reduced field of seven. She opened up a length lead through an opening quarter of 23.30 seconds on the Tapeta and kept a clear advantage coming to the top of the stretch through a half in a quickening 45.99. With steady urging from Zayas, she determinedly held sway through the stretch as others gradually ate into her margin, crossing the line three-quarters of a length in front of a rallying Midnight Stroll.

“She was amazing today,” said Zayas, who has been aboard the filly in all but one start. “She broke out of there running. As soon as she got to the lead, her ears went up and was great the rest of the way. She kept digging in late when the fillies started to come to her. I think the easier first quarter-mile helped her late.”

Accomplished Girl's final time was 1:15.29 for the 6 1/2 furlongs.

Midnight Stroll, who came from the back of the field, held second by a head over local stakes winner Marissa's Lady, who was keen and hard to rate early and lacked the punch she showed last time in the stretch. That pair was 1 3/4 lengths clear of favored Loyalty, who made a bid outside but flattered out. Jill Jitterbug and Sweet Amy completed the finishers. Napa Candy was pulled up out of the gate and vanned off; there was no immediate update on her condition.

Five horses were scratched, including the streaking Roses for Debra, who was among the favorites; and Cancel This, who likely would have added some competition on the front end.

Accomplished Girl has now won 3 of 6 career starts. A maiden winner sprinting on Gulfstream's turf earlier this year for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., she made her only prior stakes attempt in the Limestone Stakes in April on Keeneland's turf, finishing seventh. After a brief break, she returned to win an allowance/optional-claiming race in July on Gulfstream's Tapeta. She most recently finished second at the same level on Sept. 2 at Kentucky Downs.

There was an even bigger upset in the $150,000 Presque Isle Mile earlier on the card, as Goodie Goomer ($57.80), the longest shot on the board, edged clear late in a stretch battle to win by a half-length. He's a Mess was second by a nose over Franz Joseph, who had set the pace.

Goodie Goomer, ridden by Angel Stanley for W. John Bourke, also was winning his first stakes race. However, the gelding has been no worse than third in his last nine starts, all at Presque Isle, dating back to September 2022.

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