Society sets Ellis Park record in Grade 3 Chicago
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLESociety raced her way into the Ellis Park record books, and raced her way into the mix of what looks like an intriguing filly and mare sprint division, rolling home by 10 3/4 lengths while setting a track record in the Grade 3, $225,000 Chicago Stakes on Saturday afternoon.
Millionaire Society ($6.38), who races as a homebred for Peter Blum Thoroughbreds and is trained by Steve Asmussen, is now a four-time stakes winner, but had not won since taking the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes at 1 1/16 miles last September at Parx. Following that effort, the daughter of Gun Runner was seventh in the Breeders' Cup Distaff.
After a winter freshening, Society opened this season around one turn, finishing third in the Grade 1 Madison Stakes going seven furlongs at Keeneland, a race won by Eclipse Award champion female sprinter Goodnight Olive. Society then stretched back out to 1 1/16 miles, but finished ninth after leading through the first six furlongs of the Grade 1 La Troiennein May at Churchill Downs. Asmussen cut her back again to seven furlongs for the Chicago, and Society served notice that she is ready to remain a top player if she continues on this path.
Society, with Tyler Gaffalione in the irons, broke well and came on strongly between horses to establish early command, leading Drifaros by half a length through the opening quarter-mile in a sharp 22.21 seconds on the fast track. Matareya, the heavy favorite off a win in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff over multiple graded stakes winner Wicked Halo and Goodnight Olive, was three lengths off the leader in third.
With Gaffalione barely moving, Society put Drifaros away on the turn, opening up by two lengths while hitting the half-mile mark in 44.41 seconds. At that point, Flavien Prat began to urge Matareya in hopes of not letting the leader get too far away, but she lacked serious punch, and Society was already gone. Once straightened away into the lane, Society continued to simply pour it on, widening as she pleased to her final margin.
Society stopped the clock in 1:20.54 for the seven furlongs, shading the previous track mark set by Privet Moon in 2021 by .15 of a second.
“She was super impressive today,” Gaffalione said. “It’s a credit to Steve and his team for having her ready to run a huge race. It was pretty cool setting the track record with her today.”
Behind the winner, a good battle took place for second, as Drifaros gamely turned back Matareya, finishing 1 1/4 lengths ahead of the beaten favorite. Behind Matareya, it was 1 3/4 lengths to the others, with Be like Water, Hidden Connection, and Stella Noir rounding out the order of finish.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.