Lady Canterbury: A She's Adorable captures track's signature race

SHAKOPEE, MN – On a hot, humid day set aside by Canterbury Park to celebrate the strength of breast cancer survivors, a mare with a survival story of her own, A She’s Adorable, captured the signature stakes race of the meet, the $75,000 Lady Canterbury Stakes.

Jockey James Graham kept A She’s Adorable off honest early fractions set by longshot Rare Sunset in the one-mile turf race.

WATCH REPLAY: Lady Canterbury Stakes »

“I didn’t want the pace to be too slow,” said Graham. “But the fractions were nice up front and she sat real good. She was a little keen off the break, but she has a brilliant kick and I wasn’t worried.”

Graham loosened the reins a bit on the odds-on favorite heading into the far turn and the mare responded, steadily improving her position from seventh through the bend. Slid to the outside for the run down the lane, the tough filly strode strongly to the front and drew off under mild urging, proving that her year-long recovery from elbow and cannon fractures was complete. She won by 5 3/4 lengths in a time of 1:36.2.

“She’s like a fine whiskey,” said Graham. “She gets better with age.”

A She’s Adorable's payouts were $3.80, $2.40, and $2.40. Silent Candy finished second to the winner for the second race in a row, paying $4.20 and $3.40, while Avenue Sister completed the trifecta paying $7.40.

Also on the card were the $50,000 Princess Elaine Stakes for statebred fillies and mares and the $35,000 Hoist Her Flag Stakes.

The Princess Elaine, contested at 1 1/16 miles over the turf, saw second choice Sheso Dazzling in her turf debut holding off favored Tickleyourfancy and longshot Tez Savitri. Trainer Mac Robertson stretched out Sheso Dazzling after sprinting for virtually all of her career for her third consecutive victory stopping the timer at 1:45.3. The winner paid $7, $3.40, and $2.80. Tickleyourfancy was second paying $2.80 and $2.40, and Tez Savitri paid $4 to show.

The trainer/jockey combination of Mac Robertson and Derek Bell captured their second stakes on the card in the Hoist Her Flag. In the six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares over the main track, graded-stakes-placed Mindy Sue raced past pacesetter Bella Notte and overcame the first run at the leader by Hidden Gold in deep stretch in a winning time of 1:10.68. Mindy Sue paid $4.80, $3, and $2.20. Hidden Gold was second, $5.80 and $2.80, while Bella Notte held on for third paying $3.