Half Heaven strikes again on Polytrack

Half Heaven was a good horse on turf for her first 18 races. On Polytrack, she is apparently in a completely different class.

Saturday at Turfway Park in the $50,000 My Charmer Stakes, Half Heaven recorded her second stakes victory in as many starts on the surface, defeating My Chickadee by a half-length. Stalking the pace in second early, she surged to a length lead in midstretch, and held on late under jockey Miguel Mena. She raced 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.95, paying $7.40 as the narrow favorite in the field of 10.

Her victory in the My Charmer followed a score in the River Memories Stakes over Woodbine's Polytrack surface on Oct. 28. Dale Romans trains the winner for owner Frank Stronach, who purchased Half Heaven, a 4-year-old daughter of Regal Classic, for $180,000 at Fasig Tipton's November selected mixed sale. The My Charmer victory improved her record to 6 wins from 20 starts and boosted her earnings to $277,461.

My Chickadee, placing in a stakes race for the first time, performed well in defeat, falling just short of the winner despite a troubled trip. She was steadied heading into the first turn, and also lacked room with a quarter-mile of the race remaining. Once clear she finished well, edging third-place Moon Berry by a neck. Ayla Bella, Caroline's Gold, Miss Wellspring, and Shari's Gold Sole were scratched.