Society guns to the lead and romps home in Cotillion Stakes

BENSALEM, Pa. – The first time Society stepped into Grade 1 company she stumbled at the start and proved no match for the elites of the division, Nest and Secret Oath, finishing 17 3/4 lengths back in the Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga.

The next time Society stepped into Grade 1 company she put her best foot forward and did it swiftly and steadily in romping to a 5 3/4-length victory in Saturday’s $1 million Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing.

Sent to the front from her outside draw by Florent Geroux, Society made a clear lead easily. Over a Parx surface that was favoring forwardly-placed runners, Society ran splits of 23.33 seconds for the quarter, 46.75 for the half, 1:10.93 for six furlongs, and covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.94. She returned $17.60 as the 7-1 fourth choice and was given a 100 Beyer Speed Figure.

Morning Matcha, at 45-1 the second-longest shot in the nine-horse field, rallied along the rail to get second by two lengths over Secret Oath, who was 6 1/4 lengths clear of the 9-5 favorite Green Up. Shahama was fifth, followed by Adare Manor, Goddess of Fire, Gerrymander, and Beach Daze.

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The win was the fifth from six starts for Society, a daughter of Gun Runner owned by Peter Blum and trained by Steve Asmussen, who won his record fifth Cotillion. He won it last year with Clairiere and in previous years with Midnight Bisou, Untapable, and My Miss Aurelia.

Asmussen said any concerns about Society’s bad experience in the Coaching Club American Oaks were alleviated when she won the Charles Town Oaks by 6 3/4 lengths on Aug. 26.

“You look at her one loss and she lost all chance at the start against a great group that she wasn’t quite up to,” Asmussen said. “Then she comes back and runs the fastest race [she’s] ever run you feel pretty good.”

She may have run even faster on Saturday as she took no prisoners from the start under Geroux, who was riding Society for the first time.

“I would have been content to sit off if the pace was honest enough, but honestly after three jumps I was already on the lead and I was able to clear everyone else very nicely without effort,” Geroux said. “From there, I tried to keep her as relaxed as I could. She came back very nicely down the backside and down the lane I had plenty of horse left.”

Morning Matcha, who entered the Cotillion 4 for 5 at Parx, was given a patient ride by Paco Lopez and rallied nicely along the rail to be a clear second.

Secret Oath, the Kentucky Oaks winner, was sixth early and made a move into second around the turn. But Society was not coming back to her and she remained on her left lead and had to settle for third.

“We went to chase the one who was way out there,” trainer D. Wayne Lukas said. “We had to make that move, but the pacesetter was way too far in front.”

Lukas said Secret Oath would be pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 5 at Keeneland.

Asmussen said he would ship Society to Keeneland this week and train her toward the Distaff with a decision on whether to run or not made closer to the race. My Miss Aurelia won the 2012 Cotillion and finished second in the Distaff, while Clairiere, last year’s Cotillion winner, finished fourth, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the race.

“The possibility of running exists with the timing,” Asmussen said.

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