Liberty Rings runs down Mon Coquette to take Scandalous Act
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Liberty Rings, a juvenile filly trained by Nicholas Palmer, bounced back on dirt to win the $100,000 Scandalous Act Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on Saturday at Gulfstream. In four starts, the Florida-bred has become a stakes winner on both turf and dirt.
In her second start in May, the Awesome Slew filly switched to the grass and won the $125,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies in a gate-to-wire effort. Back on the dirt in June, she never challenged at long odds in the $225,000 Debutante at Churchill Downs, but returning to face statebreds at Gulfstream got her back on track Monday.
With a sharp ride from jockey Miguel Vasquez, Liberty Rings dueled with the 2-1 second choice Mon Coquette in the early going of the six-furlong sprint. After chasing just behind through an opening quarter-mile in 22.04 seconds, she suddenly backed off to a stalking position in third.
Mon Coquette and jockey Samy Camacho carried on in front, completing the half-mile in 45.53 seconds and powering around the far turn to lead by 1 1/2 lengths at the top of the stretch. The 16-1 longshot Colombina had the first crack at the leader, but Liberty Rings had more momentum and re-rallied into contention.
Mon Coquette, the Victor Barboza Jr.-trained pacesetter, made a brief show of digging in, but Liberty Rings wasted little time driving by for a three-length victory. She finished the six-furlong sprint in 1:12.63 and paid $19.20 to win.
Hot Rod Honey, the previously unbeaten 3-5 favorite trained by Carlos David, angled out for a drive in the stretch, but she never fired and settled for third, three lengths behind Mon Coquette.
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