Shantisara pulls clear late in Pucker Up Stakes

Prior to the three Grade 1 races being run Saturday at Arlington Park, trainer Chad Brown enjoyed a little warm-up by winning the Grade 3 Pucker Up Stakes for the third time in the last five runnings.

Shantisara, an Irish-bred ridden by Flavien Prat, cruised past Oyster Box en route to her first career stakes victory in the 57th running of the $100,000 Pucker Up. Always in a good stalking spot, Shantisara lengthened her stride in the final furlong, finishing three lengths ahead of Oyster Box when getting the 1 1/8-mile distance in 1:51.91 over good turf. Flown was another two lengths back in third.

Shantisara paid $5.60 as a slight favorite in a field of seven 3-year-old fillies and got an 87 Beyer Speed Figure.

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Brown, who watched from New York, won the Pucker Up the last time it was run in 2019, and also in 2016 with Noble Beauty. Over the last decade, Brown has been by far the dominant trainer on what formerly was known as Arlington Million Day.

Shantisara, by Coulsty, is owned by the partnership of Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, and Robert LaPenta. She won 2 of 5 overseas races before finishing second in the June 26 Boiling Springs at Monmouth Park in her only prior North American start.

The $2 exacta (3-1) paid $14.40, the $1 trifecta (3-1-4) returned $16.20, and the 10-cent superfecta (3-1-4-2) was worth $8.31.