Princess Composer continues climb

Princess Composer began her career at the bottom of the Turfway Park racing ladder, debuting and racing in the $5,000 claiming ranks. Now, a little more than a year later, she fits at the other end of the class spectrum as a stakes winner at the track.

Saturday, she led from start to finish in the $50,000 Fairway Fun Stakes, utilizing her early speed to offset a wide draw and outlasting a challenge from Delicate Dynamite to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Well rated under Jose Camejo, she set soft fractions of 49.23 seconds and 1:13.33, leaving her with plenty left to repel several opponents in the latter stages of the 1 1/16-mile Fairway Fun.

In winning over Polytrack in 1:45.51, she recorded her second stakes victory, following a three-length win in the Florence Henderson Stakes for Indiana-breds last July at Indiana Downs. Evelyn Escalona owns the 6-year-old mare, a daughter of Composer, who paid $15.40 to win.

Not bad for a mare that trainer Rebecca McGee claimed for $5,000 on Jan. 26 of last year. Two for three at the time of the claim, Princess Composer has since improved her record to 14 for 21, amassing earnings of $139,315 for her current stable.

Delicate Dynamite, who stalked the pace in third early, finished well to be second while unable to put a dent in Princess Composer's lead in the final sixteenth of a mile. She finished a half-length in front of third-place Try to Remember.

Three horses were scratched - Stop A Train, Rayona, and Sweet Belle - and favored Sweetdownthelane ran sixth.