Satans Quick Chick keys huge mutuels

LEXINGTON, Ky. - In the hours leading up to the at Keeneland, trainer Eric Reed said he and owner Jerry Jamgotchian had tried in vain to scratch Satans Quick Chick from the Grade 2 race.

So chief steward John Veitch could only chuckle after Satans Quick Chick, giving jockey Leandro Goncalves the richest winner of his career, rallied up the rail at 23-1 to lead a parade of huge longshots Saturday in the 11th running of the $300,000 Raven Run.

"We thought the race came up a little too tough, but the stewards wouldn't let us out," said an elated Reed.

Slides Choice, a 49-1 shot, finished a half-length behind the winner in second, while, Don'ttalktome, a 41-1 shot, was another half-length back in third and Pretty Prolific another 1 3/4 lengths back in fourth. The mutuel payoffs were all huge, including a $48.80 win mutuel, a $2 exacta of $1,347.20, a $2 trifecta of $35,148.80, and a 10-cent super worth $5,930.

Goncalves, a 27-year-old native of Brazil, bided his time early in the seven-furlong Polytrack race. Midway through the turn, Satans Quick Chick was ninth but then began gaining along the rail. She finished in 1:22.62 for her first stakes win and fourth victory from nine lifetime tries.

"It was unbelievable," said Reed. "The waters kind of parted at the eighth pole and here she came."

Satans Quick Chick, by Sky Mesa, came into the race with the only triple-digit Beyer Speed Figure, having earned a 100 in a two-back allowance win over the synthetic surface at Presque Isle Downs.

The favorites all disappointed, with Just Jenda (5-1) fifth, Sky Haven (4-1) eighth, and Flashing (2-1) 12th.

Ontrack attendance on a cool day that turned mostly sunny was 17,230.