Catch a Glimpse wins Edgewood Stakes to stretch winning streak to six

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – As a redhead, Catch a Glimpse can be a bit strong-willed.

"It's been a long week," trainer Mark Casse said. "We tried to school her Tuesday, and the first attempt, we couldn't get her over here. Second time, we got her over."

But when Catch a Glimpse puts her stubbornness to work, it can be a tremendous asset. The champion filly struck the lead turning for home, then stoutly held off a bid from longshot Auntie Joy to win the Grade 3, $150,000 Edgewood Stakes on the Kentucky Oaks undercard Friday at Churchill Downs.

Catch a Glimpse ($5), the 2015 Canadian Horse of the Year, has now won six consecutive races on four different turf courses, with her biggest score coming in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf last October at Keeneland.

"She's been a challenge," Casse said. "But I think that's one of the things that makes her so great. I've been fortunate enough to train a couple of great fillies that were ornery."

Under regular rider Florent Geroux, Catch a Glimpse sat comfortably off the hip of longshot Born to Be Winner through early fractions of 23.34 and 47.59 seconds. Geroux nudged his filly around the far turn, and she responded willingly to edge her way to the front. Set down for the drive, Catch a Glimpse kicked away in upper stretch, and the outcome was never seriously in doubt from there.

Auntie Joy, who had been sixth with just over a quarter-mile remaining, was making up ground in the final yards, but Catch a Glimpse, despite swapping leads late, had enough in reserve to hold her off by three-quarters of a length. The final time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:42.92.

Casse believed the final margin was also partially due to Catch a Glimpse's quirks.

"She's funny because she makes the lead and pulls herself up, and when she does that, she goes from her right lead to her left lead," Casse said. "But they don't go by her."

After Auntie Joy, it was another three-quarters of a length back to Harmonize, who nabbed third by a head over Jeremy’s Legacy.

Casse said the major early-summer goal for Catch a Glimpse, a daughter of City Zip, is the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Oaks Invitational in July. The race will be her first test at 1 1/4 miles.

"I'm sure a lot of the experts will say she can't go that far, and they might be right ... but they also may be wrong," Casse said.