Blinkers off allows Ageless to bloom heading into Presque Isle Masters

The Grade 2 Presque Isle Masters, which will be run for the eighth time Monday evening, has an amazing record for producing Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and Eclipse Award winners.

In four of the last five years, the winner of the $400,000 Masters has gone on to win both the BC Filly and Mare Sprint and the Eclipse Award as champion female sprinter. Groupie Doll pulled off the triple in 2012-13, Musical Romance won all three in 2011, and Informed Decision did so in 2009. In 2010, Informed Decision repeated in the Masters, but Masters runner-up Dubai Majesty won the BC Filly and Mare Sprint and was voted the Eclipse Award winner.

Groupie Doll was the 1-2 favorite last year and 3-5 in 2012, but this year’s 6 1/2-furlong Masters is wide-open, and favoritism in the 12-horse field could go to one of the three California shippers or to Ageless, who has won five of her last six races and three stakes in a row for Fair Hill-based trainer Arnaud Delacour.

At first glance, it appears that Ageless came into her own when switched to turf, where she is 4 for 5, but Delacour said an equipment change is the reason for her improved form.

“What has really helped her is removing the blinkers and putting her behind horses instead of on the lead,” Delacour said. “That style gives her something to run at, and she relaxes a little more and can come with one big run.”

In her last three starts, Ageless has won the Giant’s Causeway at Keeneland, The Very One on Preakness Day at Pimlico, and the Grade 3 Royal North at Woodbine.

She has faced some keen company in those races. In the Giant’s Causeway, she beat Free as a Bird, who has since won four stakes in a row, and Sweet Cassiopeia, who has since won two stakes. In The Very One, she defeated Quality Lass, who won the $200,000 Turf Amazon at Parx last Monday. Royal North runner-up Sky Treasure came right back to win an optional-claiming race.

This will be Ageless’s synthetic-track debut. Last Monday, Delacour worked her a bullet half-mile over the Tapeta training track at Fair Hill. The surface at Presque Isle also is Tapeta.

“She went very well in the work. She went great,” said Delacour, 39, who worked for Christophe Clement for seven years. “It wasn’t her first time over it. I used to breeze her on it quite a bit. She’s always worked well on it.”

The Masters goes as race 6 at 7:40 p.m. Eastern.

Presque Isle Masters, Race 6

KEY CONTENDERS

Ageless (Last 3 Beyers: 94-89-92)

◗ Delacour has a 4-2-1-0 record at Presque Isle this meet.

◗ Julien Leparoux has the mount on Ageless, who has been ridden by Luis Garcia in 12 of her 14 races. Leparoux is 1 for 1 on Ageless. Post 10 should suit her off-the-pace style.

Madame Cactus (Last 3 Beyers: 92-61-87)

◗ Based in California with Peter Eurton, she proved she can ship and win by taking the Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland last fall. Was sharp in her 2014 debut Aug. 17 when second-best behind Judy the Beauty in the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo at Del Mar. Judy the Beauty, a winner of $1.1 million, is 3 for 4 this year, all in stakes company. Joe Talamo keeps the mount.

Living the Life (Last Beyer: 85)

◗ A synthetic specialist in Britain, she rallied from off the pace to win a second-level optional-claiming race in her U.S. debut for trainer Gary Mandella at Del Mar. Mike Smith will ride.

Master the Blues (Last 3 Beyers: 87-86-87)

◗ Has won four of her last five starts for trainer Robert Hess Jr., including the Daisycutter Handicap at Del Mar last out under Kent Desormeux, who will be back aboard. Has speed and must avoid getting hung wide on the pace from post 11.

Disco Barbie (Last 3 Beyers: 84-82-92)

◗ Has three blowout allowance or optional-claiming wins in as many starts at Presque Isle for trainer Dale Capuano, who through Thursday was tied for the lead in the Presque Isle trainers’ standings with 26 wins from 74 starts, a 35 percent strike rate.