Citizen Kitty outbattles stablemate in Hastings Stakes
Citizen Kitty and B C Z Middleton, both trained by Jeff Metz, were in a race by themselves at the top of the stretch, and after a stretch-long duel Citizen Kitty emerged the winner of the $50,000 Hastings Stakes at Emerald Downs on Saturday. She paid $3.40.
The shape of the race changed dramatically when heavily favored Invested Prospect, a half-sister to Citizen Kitty, acted up and was scratched at the gate.
Invested Prospect, who has never been headed sprinting, would have set rapid fractions. Instead, B C Z Middleton was in no real hurry while posting a 22.38-second first-quarter and 45.40 half-mile in the six-furlong dash for fillies and mares.
Citizen Kitty sat just off her stablemate, and after angling off the rail nearing the five-sixteenths pole she collared B C Z Middleton on the stretch turn. With Eswan Flores riding, she took a short advantage turning for home and wore down B C Z Middleton to win by three parts of a length. Protective Shield finished five lengths back in third.
The final time was 1:09.15
“We talked it over before the race and we wanted to be close early,” said Flores. “It worked out well. She has a big heart.”
“I’ve had both of them since they were yearlings so it was rewarding watching them in a dogfight,” said Metz.
It was the first stakes win for Citizen Kitty, a 5-year-old daughter of Proud Citizen who was bred in Washington by Dunn Barr Ranch.
Citizen Kitty earned $27,50, which brought her lifetime earnings to $114,915. She is owned by Highland Racing Stable.