Li'l Tootsie's Groupie Doll win marred by Super Quick fatality

Li'l Tootsie won the $125,000 Groupie Doll Stakes on Sunday at Ellis Park, a result overshadowed by the fatal breakdown of favored Super Quick near the wire.

Li'l Tootsie and jockey Edgar Morales, who had been stalking the pace in fourth, made a sweeping three-wide move from the half-mile pole to the quarter pole to assume the lead from Super Quick. She was not threatened by any other foe through the lane, pulling clear to win by 1 1/2 lengths, and finishing the mile on a fast track in 1:37.42.

Jilted Bride came on for second, a length ahead of Recoded, who had raced evenly in third throughout.

Li'l Tootsie ($28.90), a 4-year-old Tapiture filly trained by Tom Amoss for Joel Politi, was third in the Grade 2 Prioress last year at Saratoga, but seems to have recently found her best form. After finishing third in the Grade 3 Winning Colors Stakes on May 30 at Churchill Downs behind Sconsin and Joyful Cadence, she won the Anchorage Overnight Stakes on July 3 at the Louisville track.

"She's been good her whole career, really," Politi said. "I mean from minute one when she broke her maiden, she's run some really great races. She's had a couple hiccups along the way when she didn't fire like we thought she would, but if you look at her record, she's been super consistent, and if I could have 10 of her I'd do it in a minute."

:: DRF Bets members get FREE DRF Past Performances - Formulator or Classic. Join now!

Super Quick and jockey Joe Talamo had led the field through the opening half before the eventual winner poked a head in front near the quarter pole. The mare was racing along the inside when she went wrong in a foreleg just strides before crossing the wire in fourth, necessitating euthanasia. No other horses or riders were involved. Talamo was not injured and went on to ride in the next race.

Super Quick, a 5-year-old Super Saver mare, was bred and raced by the estate of the late Marylou Whitney, and was trained by Norm Casse. She won 4 of 12 career starts prior to Sunday, with her biggest victory a 14 1/4-length romp in the Grade 3 Allaire duPont Distaff on Preakness weekend at Pimlico. She was also third in the Grade 3 Doubledogdare at Keeneland earlier this year behind champion Malathaat, and, more recently, second to Shedaresthedevil in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs.