Sarah Sis wears down favorite to win Raven Run

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Sarah Sis entered the Raven Run Stakes as the leading earner in the field, but that didn’t seem to matter much to the betting public.

Dismissed at 17-1, Sarah Sis rewarded her scattered backers by wearing down the favored Bar of Gold for a half-length victory Saturday in the Grade 2, $250,000 Raven Run before a sun-splashed Keeneland crowd of 23,663.

Florent Geroux continued his hot streak in giving Sarah Sis a perfect trip from just off the pace.

“She was very relaxed doing it,” said Geroux. “Down the stretch, she gave me everything she had. She was very brave.”

Owned by Joe Ragsdale and trained by Ingrid Mason, Sarah Sis returned $36 after finishing the seven-furlong distance in 1:22.96 over a fast track. Bred in Kentucky by veterinarian Cathy White, the daughter of Sharp Humor earned $150,000 to lift her career bankroll to $566,400.

“She’s run some brilliant races before,” said Mason, referring to stakes wins at Oaklawn Park and Prairie Meadows. “We all knew she had it.”

Bar of Gold, the 3-2 favorite in a field of 10 3-year-old fillies, came away running from post 2 to set the pace under careful rating from Jose Lezcano. Down the stretch while closest to the rail, she battled gamely as Sarah Sis drew alongside, only to finish second in a graded race for the third straight time. I’m a Looker, the longest price in the field at 42-1, rallied stoutly to be just another nose back in third and another neck before the 26-1 shot Kathballu.

After the top four, the order was Forever Unbridled, Irish Jasper, Chide, Ahh Chocolate, Paid Up Subscriber, and Miss Ella. Wind Chill Factor was an early scratch.

Mason, based in Chicago most of the year, said she would give Sarah Sis the rest of this year off before returning for a 4-year-old campaign.

Geroux, 29, has been one of the hottest jockeys in North America in recent months, having won the Arlington Million, Cotillion, and Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup during that span.

The $2 exacta (8-2) paid $164, the $1 trifecta (8-2-11) returned $1,182.50, and the 10-cent superfecta (8-2-11-9) was worth $1,012.15.

In earlier action

** I’m Already Sexy ($6.40) took filly-mare turf routers wire to wire to post her 10th victory from 26 career starts in a classified allowance that preceded the Raven Run. Florent Geroux was aboard for Hit the Board Stables and trainer Wayne Catalano.

** Gun Runner ($9), a 2-year-old Candy Ride colt, proved clearly best in staying unbeaten in two career starts for Winchell Thoroughbreds in a first-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles. Ricardo Santana Jr. was up for trainer Steve Asmussen.