Shisospicy leads throughout Limestone score
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LEXINGTON, Ky. – Shisospicy ran respectably in her first two stakes attempts, finishing third in the Fern Creek in November at Churchill Downs and then second to a next-out winner in the Mockingbird at Oaklawn in January. Still, trainer Jose D’Angelo knew he wasn’t getting to the bottom of the filly, who, prior to those efforts, was a 16 ¼-length debut winner.
“I was waiting for something special from her,” D’Angelo said. “I asked myself, ‘What did I do wrong with this horse that she hasn’t won these races?’ Because she trained perfectly. So I said, ‘Probably I’m running her on the wrong surface.’”
D’Angelo moved Morplay Racing’s daughter of champion sprinter Mitole to the turf, and she proceeded to sizzle to a front-running, 2 3/4-length win in allowance company on Feb. 5 at Gulfstream.
“We ran that one thinking of this race, and she worked perfectly for this race,” D’Angelo said.
"This race” was Friday's $300,000 Limestone Stakes for 3-year-old fillies sprinting on the Keeneland turf. There, Shisospicy got the job done, leading throughout and holding sway by half a length over Dreamaway.
After running on a firm Gulfstream course last out, D’Angelo said he had no concerns about his filly handling the Keeneland turf, officially rated good after overnight rain. The crowd agreed, making Shisospicy ($6.30) the favorite in the 12-horse lineup. Under Irad Ortiz Jr., who also rode her to her previous win, the filly broke alertly and had the better of Dreamaway, leading by half a length through an opening quarter of 21.46 seconds and the half in 44.91 seconds.
Shisospicy used a burst of speed to kick clear by two lengths in upper stretch, but Dreamaway, winner of the Colleen Stakes last year and making her 3-year-old debut, wasn’t done. She ground back into the favorite’s lead as some of the closers also arrived on the scene.
At the line, Shisospicy held off Dreamaway by half a length, with Dreamaway another half-length ahead of Abientot, who rallied from 10th at the midway point. In a blanket finish, Abientot was just a nose ahead of It Ain't Two and Me Governor, who finished in a dead heat for fourth. They were followed by Kilwin, She's All Charm, Laurice, Afternoon Diva, Mighty Eriu, Lookatmybuckle, and My Lil Punky.
The time for the 5 1/2 furlongs was 1:03.94.
D'Angelo said the Grade 3, $225,000 Mamzelle Stakes for fillies sprinting on the Churchill Downs turf is the next target for Shisospicy.
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