Cat Cay snares graded stakes despite sluggish start

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Cat Cay overcame a sluggish start Sunday in the $109,000, Grade 3 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes, powering from last under Pat Day to finish 7 1/2 lengths ahead of Spanish Glitter.

Miss Seffens, the 6-5 favorite, faded to fifth in a field of seven fillies and mares after contesting the pace with Another, who also tired and finished third, a head behind Spanish Glitter.

Cat Cay, a 4-year-old Pleasant Colony filly bred and owned by Ogden Phipps and trained by Shug McGaughey, returned $8.40 as the second choice. She ran the six furlongs in 1:09.24 over a fast track. The victory is her sixth in 18 starts and her first in a graded race.

"It was just an awesome performance," Day said. "We gave her a chance to get her feet up under her. Three-sixteenths of a mile into the race, she started to take a hold of me and drag me into the race."

Spanish Glitter, the 4-1 third choice, completed a $2 exacta worth $36.60.