Sower all the way in Pumpkin Pie Stakes

Sower made beating her elders look easy in the $100,000 Pumpkin Pie at Belmont Park on Sunday, going right to the lead in the seven-furlong race for fillies and mares and cruising home to win by 5 1/4 lengths.

Sower, the only 3-year-old in the seven-horse field, was rated on a clear advantage by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and then widened her lead when set down for the stretch drive. She paid $4.20 as the favorite and is now 4 for 7 in her career and a two-time stakes winner for owner Leonard Green and trainer Linda Rice. She won the Jersey Girl Stakes at Belmont in June.

Tiffany Case, who figured to be part of the pace, lost her chance when she got tangled up in the gate and then hopped in the air at the start to get away behind the field.

"Obviously, it didn't hurt that the 7 horse with some speed didn't break well, but we'll take that," Rice said. "Otherwise, I thought it was a beautiful race, and she handled the seven furlongs very well. She's a young, improving filly, and today was her first time against older fillies and mares."

Over a track upgraded to “muddy” several races earlier, Sower set fractions of 23.47 seconds, 47.42, and 1:11.91 en route to a final time of 1:24.16.

Tequilita raced closest to Sower throughout as the 5-2 second choice but couldn't pick up the pace when asked. Silly Sister finished third at 13-1, 4 3/4 lengths farther back. It was another two lengths back to Sexy Reasons in fourth.