Epona's Hope dominates Ladies' Turf Sprint
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Epona’s Hope ran her eight rivals in the $140,000 Ladies' Turf Sprint off their feet from start to finish and set a blistering pace before holding safe a final bid from 4-5 favorite Just a Care in registering a head decision over a speed-favoring grass course Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
Breaking alertly from the outside, Epona’s Hope quickly sprinted well clear after setting a 21.10-second opening-quarter split under jockey Joel Rosario. Epona’s Hope remained in control after completing an opening half-mile in 43.30, then had enough left to fend off a late challenge by the favorite.
Just a Care, who was attempting to go back to back for trainer Brian Lynch after having won the Abundantia Stakes over this course six weeks earlier, had her best chance compromised after getting shuffled back a bit in traffic shortly after the start. Just a Care recovered to unleash a steady rally outside horses leaving the backstretch and around the turn, continued to close the gap on the leader in the final furlong, but ran out of real estate at the end.
Karaya, second-best in the Abundantia, saved ground much of the way, rallying mildly near the inside to finish third while never seriously menacing the top two.
The win was the fourth in the last six starts for Epona’s Hope, a 4-year-old daughter of Adios Charlie trained by Eddie Plesa Jr. She completed five panels over the firm course in 55.02 and returned $11.60.
“She ran a big race, didn’t she?,” Plesa said after the race. “I think Joel rode an outstanding race on her. She was the controlling speed. I liked the way he got her to relax. He rode her so confidently. Coming into the race she was just doing fantastic. It’s not a big surprise to me the way she ran.”
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