Farrell holds off late charge in Pippin Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Farrell picked up the sixth stakes victory of her career on Saturday at Oaklawn Park, where she withstood pace pressure from Terra Promessa then a late charge from Ever So Clever to win her 4-year-old debut in the $125,000 Pippin Stakes. The race is a local steppingstone to the Grade 1, $700,000 Apple Blossom and that race is a goal, said winning trainer Wayne Catalano.

“She stepped up today,” Catalano said. “That was a solid field.”

Farrell ($6.20) broke from the rail with the scratch of Rachel’s Temper, moved to the lead and was pressured by favorite Terra Promessa through fractions of 23.32 seconds for the opening quarter, 46.94 for the half-mile and 1:12 for six furlongs. Farrell shook that rival in the stretch, then held off Ever So Clever by three-quarters of a length, while covering 1 1/16 miles on a track rated fast in 1:45.41.

“[Ever So Clever] came charging at us and my filly kind of showed her class and just kind of stretched her legs out,” said winning rider Channing Hill.

“Hopefully this year is very interesting.”

Farrell established herself as one of her division’s best last year, when she swept the 3-year-old filly series at Fair Grounds, taking the Silverbulletday, the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra, and the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks before closing out her campaign in November with a win over older rivals in the Grade 2 Chilukki at Churchill Downs.

Farrell earned $75,000 for her win in the Pippin, her seventh career victory from 11 starts. She has now earned $802,077. She is a daughter of Malibu Moon and a half-sister to Grade 1 winners Carpe Diem and J.B.’s Thunder. Farrell races for her breeder, Coffeepot Stables.

Streamline finished third in the Pippin, 2 3/4-lengths behind Ever So Clever.