Mylady Curlin holds on after looking home free in Lady Jacqueline Stakes

In Saturday's $200,000 Lady Jacqueline Stakes for fillies and mares at Thistledown, all eyes were on the popular Manitoba-bred Escape Clause, who has risen from humble beginnings to become a consistent graded stakes performer. However, it was the other well-traveled graded stakes winner in the field, Mylady Curlin, who narrowly prevailed over Gotham Gala, with the favorite in third.

This was the fifth consecutive victory, at five tracks in five states, for Mylady Curlin ($4.80), a Sather Family homebred who has not missed the board this year for trainer Brad Cox. After optional-claiming victories at Oaklawn Park and Keeneland, the filly won the Grade 3 Allaire DuPont Distaff Stakes at Pimlico and the Mari Hulman George Memorial Stakes at Indiana.

Escape Clause has won 18 stakes, mainly in her home province, but she has traveled this year to win the Grade 3 La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita, and finished a close second to divisional leader Midnight Bisou in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn.

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The mare broke from the rail in the field of eight under regular rider Tyler Baze and led through early splits of 23.60 seconds for the quarter, 48 for the half, and 1:12.24 for six furlongs while pressured by Obeah Stakes winner Gotham Gala, who was never more than half a length behind. Meanwhile, Mylady Curlin was biding her time a length back in third under Shaun Bridgmohan.

Turning for home, Bridgmohan shook up Mylady Curlin, and the filly quickly surged past the two leaders on the outside to take command, edging away from a stubborn Escape Clause. Mylady Curlin appeared on her way to a clear-cut victory, but Gotham Gala, steered outside by Daniel Centeno, re-broke and rushed up, hitting the wire together with Mylady Curlin. The photo showed that the latter had prevailed by a nose, with Escape Clause another two lengths behind the top two in third.

“I almost messed it up,” Bridgmohan said. “The two horses to beat were in front of me, and I got to them a little quicker than I thought I would. I thought they’d go on a little farther, but when I pulled the trigger, all of a sudden I was heads up with them on the turn. I knew someone was coming but I didn’t know it was [Gotham Gala] - I thought when I went by her around the turn, she was done. When I heard someone coming, I just put my head down and rode to the wire.”

The final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:51.40.

After the top three, it was 11 1/4 lengths back to Stormologist in fourth, followed by Viva Forever, Bella Dudette, Crafty's Dream, and Flirty.