Fille d’Esprit surges in Maryland Million Distaff

LAUREL, MD. - As Fille d’Esprit ($5.40) drove under the wire Saturday at Laurel Park in the $100,000 Maryland Million Distaff for fillies and mares at seven furlongs, jockey Xavier Perez gave her a loving smack on the neck, pumped his fist and let out a jubilant wail.

“She never disappoints me,” Perez said in the winner’s circle. “She’s a little naughty in the morning, she misbehaves sometimes, but I understand her. I’ve been dealing with her for two years, so we get to bond pretty nice.”

The relationship began after trainer Jerry Robb claimed the mare out of a victory in a $10,000 beaten claimer at Laurel on Oct. 22, 2020. Since then, Perez and Fille d’Esprit have teamed up for 9 wins in 17 starts, including four stakes.

In the Lassie, Perez wasn’t concerned when Fille d’Esprit was outsprinted for the lead by Malibu Beauty. “We got a perfect rail ride,” Perez said. “Turning for home, I tipped out and it was game over. When she switched to her right lead, she fired on.”

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Fille d’Esprit completed the seven furlongs in 1:25.05 seconds while 1 1/4 lengths better than Malibu Beauty. Sweet Gracie finished one length behind the runner-up.

A 6-year-old mare by Great Notion, Fille d’Esprit was claimed mostly because she shares similar bloodlines as Anna’s Bandit, a regional star that earned $806,655 for Robb while winning 17 of 39 starts.

Robb said that Fille d’Esprit is likely to race again this year and will be pointed to another campaign in 2023.

*Turf Sprint

Trainer Michael Trombetta wanted a fresh horse for the $100,000 Turf Sprint.

He just wasn't sure he wanted Sky's Not Falling this fresh for the 5 1/2-furlong turf dash for 3-year-olds and upward.

Sky's Not Falling, the runner-up in last year's Turf Sprint, allayed Trombetta's fears with a pace-tracking victory under Paco Lopez.

The gelding broke outward a bit, tracked from the pocket, attacked the leaders from in between rivals on the turn, then held off Rock the Boat’s late challenge despite taking his time to make his final lead change.

He prevailed by a half-length and completed the distance in 1:02.75 seconds. Showtime Cat nipped Cynergy’s Star for third.

Sky’s Not Falling came into the race with only one prior start in 2022. That start didn’t go very well as he finished last of seven in the Laurel Dash at Pimlico on Sept. 24.

“He was here in February, then popped a nasty shin splint,” Trombetta said. “I thought it would be tough [to make the Maryland Million].”

Trombetta said he used the Laurel Dash as a prep. “I would have loved to have another one [a prep], but maybe it was best that he didn’t.”

Favored Grateful Bred defended his 2021 Turf Sprint title but was pinched back from in between horses at the start, then could never get into the race with a wide run and finished fifth.

Trombetta mentioned that Sky’s Not Falling, a 4-year-old by Seville, will be pointed to a fall-winter campaign at Gulfstream Park.

*Ladies

Trainer Tim Keefe never lost faith in Coconut Cake ($4.40) and the gray mare repaid his confidence by breaking a 14-race losing streak in the $125,000 Ladies for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Ridden by Sheldon Russell for owners N R S Stable, James Chambers and Avalon Farm, Coconut Cake settled in midpack as longshot Double Fireball cleared from the outside post position to set rated fractions of 23.74, 48.96, and 1:13.64 seconds.

Coconut Cake gradually advanced from the outside to tackle Double Fireball at the three-sixteenths pole and wore that one down in the final 150 yards to win by a head in 1:50.22 seconds. Amplio Esquema finished another three-quarters back in third.

“My biggest concern was figuring out what she liked,” Keefe said. “She tries every time you run her. She’s won short, long, dirt and turf. I finally came to the realization her preference is running long on the grass.”

Coconut Cake placed in five stakes after her most recent win on New Year’s Eve 2020. She’s now won 5 times from 21 starts.

Keefe said Coconut Cake will remain in Maryland so long as turf season is open, and that she will return to training as a 6-year-old in 2023.

Russell said that he would give 50% of his earnings to Kevin Gomez, who was unavailable to ride Coconut Cake due to suffering a broken collarbone in a spill on Friday afternoon. Gomez is expected to miss 6-8 weeks per his agent Frank Douglas.

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