Caitlinhergrtness shows off speed in Belle Mahone triumph
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Favored Caitlinhergrtness, last year’s Canadian champion 3-year-old filly and King’s Plate winner, made a triumphant return to the races in Saturday’s Grade 3 Belle Mahone at Woodbine, scoring by five lengths in a quick clocking under a shrewd ride from Rafael Hernandez.
Caitlinhergrtness saved ground behind the dueling leaders For Flying and Dana’s Beauty in the 1 1/16-mile route for fillies and mares. Hernandez angled her into the two path exiting the far turn and she hit the front at the head of the lane before drawing off to prevail in a time of 1:42.26 seconds, which was .71 faster than the previous race on the card, the Grade 2 Eclipse.
“She’s been working amazing and everything paid off today,” Hernandez said. “I just tried to get her relaxed. I knew if she was able to do that, when I put her in the clear, she was going to (finish) like she did today.”
For Flying held on for second by a neck over a closing Ready for Shirl. Literate, Fashionably Fab, Dana’s Beauty, Fortyfiveseventy and Kin’s Concerto completed the order of finish.
By Omaha Beach, Caitlinhergrtness ($6.30) earned $108,000 of the $169,200 purse for WinStar Farm and trainer Kevin Attard. It was her first outing in nearly seven months.
“She had been working so fast and we were making a conscious effort trying to slow her down in the mornings,” Attard said. “Literally, she came in early in the year from WinStar just looking like a different animal. She matured so much. She filled out. She grew. It all transpired onto the racetrack. She was working that much faster. She was just doing everything so easy. I was worried she might be a little rank, but the race set up perfectly and Raffie did a good job with her. She showed why she’s a champion.”
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