Mauralakana's burst wins Sheepshead Bay

ELMONT, N.Y. - Mauralakana was purchased by owner Robert Scarborough as a broodmare prospect for the Southern Hemisphere. The plan was to run a few races in North America and have her covered by Sept. 1 and shipped to Australia.

After watching her win Saturday's Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay Handicap, trainer Christophe Clement hopes Scarborough reconsiders those plans.

Relaxing in sixth position for most of the race under Kent Desormeaux, Mauralakana unleashed an eye-popping move in upper stretch that carried her past pacesetting Herboriste en route to a three-length victory in the $150,000 Sheepshead Bay at Belmont Park. She paid $5.40 as the favorite.

Herboriste held second by a half-length over Hostess. She was followed in the order of finish by Leap in the Sun, Rising Cross, J'ray, and Ochre. Flawless Treasure broke her right hind leg down the backside, and trainer Barclay Tagg said she had to be euthanized.

The victory was the third in four starts for Mauralakana since Scarborough bought her and turned her over to Clement. Mauralakana was coming off a three-quarter-length victory in the Marizy Doates Handicap at Calder on April 26.

"She did show a great turn of foot at Calder the other day," Clement said. "She showed again another great turn of foot today. She was amazingly relaxed in the race today. She was very settled for Kent. Whenever she settles she just has an explosive turn of foot."

Desormeaux called it "a scintillating turn of foot. What a lovely ride, too. She sat behind horses, she's very attentive to my needs and that makes it a lot easier."

Mauralakana, a 5-year-old French-bred daughter of Muhtathir, improved her record to 9 for 23 and bumped her earnings to $863,012.

Clement said that if Scarborough's original plan stays intact, Mauralakana's career would likely end with a start in the Grade 1, $750,000 Beverly D. at Arlington Park on Aug. 9.

"Of course, things could change," he said.

Earlier on the card, Buy the Light kept her unbeaten record (5 for 5) intact with a last-to-first victory in the Pearl City Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. She paid $3.80.

Under Edgar Prado, Buy the Light swung five-wide into the stretch and rallied for a 1 1/2-length victory over Throbbin' Heart. A New York-bred daughter of Malibu Moon, Buy the Light covered the six furlongs in 1:10. Buy the Light is owned by Jay Em Ess Stable and trained by Richard Dutrow Jr.