Daddys Lil Darling stalks and pounces to win Modesty Handicap
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Daddys Lil Darling flicked away the impediments of a poor post and the top weight of 124 pounds and won the Modesty Handicap in a romp.
Her manner of victory seemed especially notable. Daddys Lil Darling often has fallen well behind the leaders, leaving her dependent on pace and luck, but on Saturday, breaking from post 12 under Brian Hernandez Jr., she tracked posted splits that were fast for a 1 3/16-mile race.
“She showed a new dimension,” said Hernandez, who was aboard the filly for the first time.
Sully’s Dream and Go Baby Go set off for the lead and went a quarter-mile with a tailwind in a posted 22.71 seconds, and there was Daddys Lil Darling, right behind them, outside in the clear, racing third.
“She has that kind of pace – she just hasn’t shown it,” said trainer Ken McPeek. “Maybe Brian made a difference.”
The half-mile went in a snappy 47.06, six furlongs in 1:11.16, and Daddys Lil Darling still was doing it easily. Hernandez let her out a notch turning for home, and Daddys Lil Darling switched leads like a champ, opening a four-length lead at the stretch call and coasting home 2 1/4 lengths in front of Prado’s Sweet Ride.
“She’s already a Grade 1 winner,” Hernandez said. “Maybe this helps her get even better.”
Daddys Lil Darling was timed in 1:53.80 over a firm, fast-playing turf course and paid $5.80 to win as the favorite.
Prado’s Sweet Ride, who had a clean outside trip while finishing second in the Modesty for the second year in a row, came home 1 1/2 lengths in front of third-place Hallie Belle, who was hampered when Sully’s Dream was pulled up past the five-sixteenths pole, backing partially into Hallie Belle’s path as she geared up for a run. Once clear in the homestretch, Hallie Belle closed with good energy.
“She was the only one making up ground,” said trainer Mike Stidham.
Sully’s Dream was vanned off the course and taken to the backstretch for further evaluation, Arlington officials said.
Daddys Lil Darling, owned by Normandy Farm, is by Scat Daddy and out of the Houston mare Miss Hot Salsa, and she has long been near the top of her class in route races on both dirt and turf. Second in the Kentucky Oaks last year, she also was second in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on Keeneland grass before winning the Grade 1 American Oaks at Santa Anita.
This was her first win from four starts this year, but Daddys Lil Darling had faced top company until Saturday and will do so again next month in the Beverly D. Stakes. McPeek said she’d return to Keeneland to prepare for that start. Trainer Chris Block said he also was inclined to point Prado’s Sweet Ride to the Beverly D.
