Elysea's World rallies late to win Violet Stakes

The pace was slow, Elysea's World was lagging back in last position, but in the end it didn't matter as the 1-2 favorite wore down 11-1 Viva Vegas in the stretch to win the Grade 3, $100,000 Violet Stakes at Monmouth Park by three-quarters of a length on Saturday.

The victory was Elysea's World's second graded score in a row at Monmouth. On Haskell Day, she ran down her Chad Brown-trained stablemate Dream Awhile to win the Grade 3 Matchmaker by a neck.

On Saturday, Bishop's Pond set relaxed fractions of 24.78 and 48.75 seconds in the 1 1/8-mile grass race while being stalked by Viva Vegas. It was another length or two back to the trio of Celestial Insight, Armoire, and Special Edition, who raced three wide on both turns. Elysea's World was last, several lengths farther back.

On the far turn, Viva Vegas replaced Bishop's Pond on the lead as Elysea's World made a quick move to contention outside horses under Joe Bravo. Elysea's World bid for the lead outside Viva Vegas entering the final furlong but Viva Vegas dug in and the favorite had to work a bit for the win.

Elysea's World was timed over firm turf in 1:48.06 and returned $3. She is now 6 for 21 in her career with earnings of $562,383 for owners Sheep Pond Partners and All Pro Racing.

"All you had to do was look at the board," Bravo said. "Everyone knew who the right horse was."

It was 3 3/4 lengths back from Viva Vegas to Bishop's Pond, who held on for third.

Sorority: Decorated Ace wins maiden

Decorated Ace scored the first victory of her career in the $78,000 Sorority under a ground-saving ride by Hector Diaz Jr.

In her third lifetime start on Aug. 11, Decorated Ace opened up a two-length lead in the stretch of a Monmouth Park maiden race at a mile on turf but was overtaken and finished third, beaten two lengths.

On Saturday, over firm ground at the same distance, Diaz tucked Decorated Ace in behind a four-horse pace, advanced along the inside on the far turn, split horses entering the stretch, then was up in the final sixteenth to gain the lead outside Sweet Sami D. She scored by 1 1/4 lengths and stopped the timer in 1:37.36.

Decorated Ace paid $20.60 as the fifth choice in the eight-horse lineup of 2-year-old fillies. The stakes win was trainer Brenda McCarthy's first since 2009. McCarthy also owns the filly.

The victory was the second of the day for Diaz.

"She ran so good last time that I was confident coming into this," Diaz said. "I wanted to take her off the pace this time because last time when she made the lead, she got a little lost. So I waited as long as I could to make the move."

Malocchio, the 8-5 favorite, was fanned at least five wide into the stretch and was up to dead-heat for second with Sweet Sami D. It was a neck farther back to 11-1 No More Fast Women in fourth.

Horologist, the 9-5 second choice, who was coming off a 20-length maiden win over New Jersey-breds, pressed the early pace outside Sweet Sami D but tired to finish sixth.