Fionn catches Love and Poetry, takes Allen 'Black Cat' Lacombe Stakes

Fionn declined to change leads and couldn’t keep a straight course, but still rallied resolutely through the Fair Grounds homestretch going last to first under Marcelino Pedroza in the $97,000 Allen “Black Cat” Lacombe Stakes on Saturday.

Third in her debut at Horseshoe Indianapolis, Fionn ($5.40) won Fair Grounds maiden and first-level allowance grass races under Florent Geroux earlier in the meet. Pedroza picked up the mount for trainer Brad Cox and owners George Messina and Michael Lee when Geroux went to ride the Tampa Bay Downs card on Saturday. It was a live mount, indeed.

Halfway through the 1 1/16-mile Lacombe, the six-runner field raced in the inverse order of their eventual finish, Merry and Bright leading Lady Orient, Aterradora stalking inside and just in front of Play With Fire, Love and Poetry sitting fifth and Fionn bringing up the rear.

Love and Poetry moved first, swooping past the leaders to take a narrow stretch-call lead, Fionn coming with a run behind her. Fionn took a serpentine course through the final furlong and a half while racing on the wrong lead, but made steady progress, collaring Love and Poetry in the final half-furlong, striding clear to a 1 1/4-length victory, and galloping out with very good energy.

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Play With Fire, second choice behind 17-10 favorite Fionn at 5-2, finished an even third as the winner clocked 1:48.09 with the temporary turf rail placed 21 feet out. Two earlier races were switched to turf and the Lacombe was run over a “good” course after a morning downpour.

Fionn is a strapping daughter of Twirling Candy and the Giant’s Causeway mare Gaelic Gold. She was bred in Kentucky by Dixiana Farms and on Saturday proved too much horse for five rivals at Fair Grounds.

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