Dr. Zic upsets in Madison
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Dr. Zic led every step of the to register a 15-1 upset and spoil the return of Eclipse champion Informed Decision on a chilly Thursday afternoon at Keeneland.
With Kent Desormeaux riding for trainer Joan Scott, Dr. Zic broke quickly to make an open lead in the seven-furlong Madison, with Witty and Informed Decision stalking from a couple of lengths back.
Turning for home, Dr. Zic turned back the two favorites and put the issue to rest, prevailing by 2 1/2 lengths over Dubai Majesty, a 7-1 shot who rallied belatedly to get second by a length over Informed Decision. Witty was another half-length back and was followed by Starlarks and Direct Line.
Dr. Zic, a 4-year-old Milwaukee Brew filly owned by a four-way partnership that includes her trainer, returned $33.40 after setting fractions of 22.97, 46.01, and 1;09.48, and finishing in 1:21.32 over Polytrack.
"She was just full of herself today," said Desormeaux. "She was calm and collected over to the quarter pole. Down the lane, she was just lunging for the wire."
Informed Decision, the 2009 Eclipse winner as top filly and mare sprinter, was the 1-2 favorite under Julien Leparoux in her first race since winning the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint last November.
Witty, a Southern California invader who was unbeaten in four previous starts and was the 2-1 second choice, had no apparent mishap under Victor Espinoza.
Dr. Zic, bred in Kentucky by Ron McPeek, was coming off a victory in an overnight handicap at Tampa Bay Downs. She now has 5 wins from 9 overall starts, with the 2008 Sandpiper at Tampa her lone previous stakes win. She earned $180,000, nearly tripling her career bankroll to $288,620.
The victory was Scott's first as a trainer in a Grade 1 event. She began her career in 2002.
* One race earlier, Unbridle's Dream ($42.80) led wire-to-wire in upsetting a $58,000, second-level turf allowance that was the first start in more than nine months for Nicanor, a 4-year-old full brother to the 2006 Kentucky Derby winner, Barbaro. Nicanor faded to fifth as the 6-5 favorite.
Ontrack attendance was 6,458.