Sweet Cassiopeia finds winning form in Unbridled Sydney Stakes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Sweet Cassiopeia had won five straight races when trainer Bill Connelly opted to send the mare to Maryland at this time last year for the The Very One Stakes.

Sweet Cassiopeia encountered traffic trouble in losing that race. Then, she lost seven more races without another win.

This year, as Preakness weekend approaches, Connelly kept Sweet Cassiopeia home, and the 6-year-old mare rewarded that decision with a stylish 1 1/4-length victory Saturday in the $65,142 Unbridled Sidney Stakes over a sloppy track at Churchill Downs. The five-furlong race had been scheduled for turf.

Ridden by Joe Rocco Jr., Sweet Cassiopeia ranged up alongside the 7-5 favorite, Point to the Wild, before proving best in the final furlong, finishing in 57.54 seconds. The winner, bred and owned by Dan Considine and Steve Snowden, returned $5.80.

Queen Negwer finished third, and Costly was fourth in a field of seven fillies and mares. To My Valentine was an early scratch.

The $2 exacta (7-3) paid $13.40, the $1 trifecta (7-3-2) returned $22.60, and the 10-cent superfecta (7-3-2-4) was worth $13.59.