Lithe Spirit ($30.80) surges late to notch upset in Wishing Well Stakes

The field of 11 fillies and mares who started in Saturday night's $125,000 Wishing Well Stakes at Turfway Park included seven stakes winners. But it was Lithe Spirit, making her stakes debut, who continued on the upswing, driving to the wire for a 1 1/4-length score over favored Nice as Pie for an upset that returned $30.80 to her backers.

This was the third consecutive win, and fourth score in her last five starts, for Lithe Spirit, a 4-year-old Speightstown filly trained by Steve Asmussen. The only loss in that span came when going a mile on the turf. In sprints, the filly has been successful on dirt, turf, and synthetic surfaces, with a late-running win in a Dec. 21 allowance-optional claiming race at Turfway setting her up for a stakes bid.

Lithe Spirit, who left from post 5 in the big field, broke outward, but was quickly righted by Joe Ramos, who also rode her in her prior Turfway start. He settled her in a tracking sixth, keeping her toward the outside for the long run up the backstretch. Up front, B G Warrior was hounded by Awesome Treat through a sharp opening quarter of 22.94 seconds.

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In the run around the far turn, Ramos got the jump on some others by tipping Lithe Spirit out to ensure she would have clear sailing for her run that was about to commence, and she willingly advanced to fourth while not seriously asked. B G Warrior continued to lead a stubborn Awesome Treat by a head; Into Love briefly loomed a threat alongside them before beginning to retreat.

The two leaders turned for home locked in a private battle on the inside that they would continue for the length of the stretch. But the battle was only for the placings, as Lithe Spirit, once roused, rallied in the clear and surged by in the final yards for the win.

Nice as Pie, who had been seventh after the opening half, made her customary late run and finished well for second despite being on the wrong lead in the final stages while on the far outside. She was a neck clear of Awesome Treat, who nosed out B G Warrior in a photo for third.

The time for the 6 1/2 furlongs was 1:19.09.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.