Asi Siempre wins Juddmonte Spinster
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Asi Siempre had been largely a Grade 3 or Grade 2 caliber filly on turf. But on Polytrack there might not be any limit to her potential.
Making her first start over the synthetic Polytrack surface in Sunday's Grade 1, $500,000 at Keeneland, Asi Siempre scored easily, winning by 2.25 lengths over a field that included Happy Ticket, Spun Sugar, Summerly and Lemons Forever.
With Julien Leparoux aboard, Asi Siempre rated in sixth early, as 2005 Kentucky Oaks winner Summerly set a slow pace of 25.05 seconds, 50.50 and 1:16.20 over a surface that had played to late runners. Asi Siempre began to pick up the leaders as the field neared the lane, and soon thereafter the race was over. The winner quickly accelerated away from the pack, causing a roar from the announced crowd of 14,994, and the race merely became a battle for second and third.
Soul Search grabbed second, a neck in front of Promenade Girl, who edged Sharp Lisa for third. Less than a length and a half separated second through eighth place. Happy Ticket, the 8-5 favorite, ran sixth.
"We trained on Polytrack for a year and she loved it," said winning trainer Patrick Biancone, in reference to Asi Siempre being stabled at Turfway Park, where there is also a Polytrack surface. "She really loved it today. She was bred to run on the dirt."
Asi Siempre, a 4-year-old daughter of El Prado owned by Martin Schwartz, won for the sixth time in 15 starts. Four of those victories have come in America after being imported from France in the fall of 2005.
She raced 1 1/8 miles over Polytrack in 1:51.97, paying $11 as the third choice in the field of nine. She was one of three winners that Leparoux rode Sunday at Keeneland.
The Breeders' Cup Distaff on Nov. 4 is being considered for her next start, Biancone said.
* Two races earlier on Sunday, Sgt. Bert scored a repeat victory in the $114,600 , running down favored T. D. Vance to score by a half-length.
Capitalizing on a fast early pace, Sgt. Bert rallied from sixth under Rafael Bejarano to gradually clear in the final sixteenth of a mile. Pretty Jane, the lone female in the field of 12, edged Yucatan for third, finishing four lengths behind T. D. Vance.
Sgt. Bert ($30.60), a 5-year-old gelding by Confide owned by Gary Edelen and Fred Preuss Jr. and trained by Gary Montgomery, raced 5.5 furlong on firm turf in course record time of 1:01.67.
His victory in the Woodford marked his first win in 11 starts since winning the 2005 Woodford, which also came under Bejarano.
* Poshsner's upset victory at 76-1 odds in fifth race lit the toteboard in more than just the win pool. In winning the maiden race for 2-year-olds, he keyed a 3-12-7-11 superfecta payoff that paid $19,749.81 for a $.10 wager. Three winning tickets were sold.