Don't Tell Sophia seeks exclamation point on excellent year in Falls City
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – After the sensational year she’s already had, a victory for Don’t Tell Sophia in the Falls City Handicap would be like, well, the Cool Whip on the pumpkin pie.
“Yeah, with the year she’s had, anything more would be gravy,” said Phil Sims, the trainer and co-owner of Don’t Tell Sophia, using another apropos analogy for Thanksgiving Day at Churchill Downs.
Fresh off a runner-up finish to Untapable in the Oct. 31 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita, Don’t Tell Sophia figures in the even-money range among a field of 10 fillies and mares in the Grade 2, $200,000 Falls City, the 11th of 12 Thursday races. A breakthrough 2014 includes four wins from her other five starts, most notably the Grade 1 Spinster last month at her home track, Keeneland. Her earnings this year are $866,413.
“After the Breeders’ Cup, we weren’t committed to anything for her,” Sims said. “We took her to California and back, so we wanted to see where we were with her. I’ll tell you, she took the trip better than I did.”
Although her late-running style normally would suggest that a fast pace is required for best results, Don’t Tell Sophia “just does her thing,” said Sims, and therefore, the race shape of the 1 1/8-mile Falls City seems less important than whether the 6-year-old mare “just runs her race. From everything I can tell, she’s stronger than ever and ready to get back out there.”
With Joe Rocco Jr. back to ride, Don’t Tell Sophia will break from post 7 when spotting the opposition three to 11 pounds as the 125-pound highweight. Her most accomplished rivals are Strut the Course (post 3, Robby Albarado, 119), Flashy American (post 5, Chris Landeros, 118), and Molly Morgan (post 6, Corey Lanerie, 122).
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 Don't Tell Sophia. Trainer Phil Sims is 47-9-8-8 with a $3.13 ROI over the past year in dirt routes. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
:: Learn more about Formulator | Buy Formulator PPs
:: Follow the @DRFFormulator Twitter feed and get free Formulator facts
This will be the 99th running of the Falls City, the first of four graded stakes during the final week of the Churchill Downs fall meet. Special first post for the holiday is 11:30 a.m. Eastern, with the Falls City going at 4:22 and the 12th race at 4:50. Three allowances (races 4, 6, 10) are part of a solid undercard.
KEY CONTENDERS
Don’t Tell Sophia (Last 3 Beyers: 101-94-91)
◗ All this $1,000 yearling purchase did in her last two races was thoroughly defeat Close Hatches, the apparent front-runner for the Eclipse Award in the older female division. Her stretch runs this year have been breathtaking, as she has trailed in all but one 2014 start before hitting high gear.
Molly Morgan (Last 3 Beyers: 89-86-87)
◗ Dale Romans has spotted this 5-year-old mare shrewdly all year, and the result is a bankroll of nearly $500,000 on the season. She, too, tends to do her best from off the pace, meaning she’ll be looking for a good stalking spot while eyeballing the likely pacesetter, Teen Pauline, from at least a few lengths back.
Strut the Course (Last 3 Beyers: 92-90-84)
◗ The switch to the main track is the obvious question surrounding an Ontario homebred who enters in peak form on her way south for the winter. She’s another who figures to be charging late, but again, that all depends on how she handles her first start on dirt.
Flashy American (Last 3 Beyers: 79-85-94)
◗ This classy gray mare likely needed her last start at Indiana Grand after getting a little time off following a minor injury incurred in the Shuvee in late July at Saratoga. She has knocked out more than $650,000 from 30 career starts, so she knows how the game is played.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 8 Teen Pauline. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 50-17-6-7 with a $5.43 ROI over the past two years in dirt route graded stakes in the second start following a layoff. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 10 Tiz Windy. Trainer Carl Nafzger is 32-12-4-2 with a $4.46 ROI over the past two years in dirt routes. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan