Texting becomes graded stakes winner in La Prevoyante

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Texting became a graded stakes winner and avenged a loss to Daring Duchess from earlier in the meet when rallying to a three-quarter-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 La Prevoyante Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Taralena rallied mildly for finish third.

Texting, a 5-year-old daughter of Candy Ride, rated off the early pace of Daring Duchess, who set moderate fractions of 23.68 seconds, 48.24, and 1:13 for the opening six furlongs of the 1 1/2-mile La Prevoyante. Texting advanced outside around the final bend, overtook the leader at midstretch and was edging clear at the end.

Texting had finished fifth, three lengths behind Daring Duchess, when the pair last met in the Via Borghese Stakes here on Dec. 30.

Daring Duchess, the wire-to-wire winner of the Via Borghese Stakes, fought on gamely when headed by Texting but proved second-best. It was another three lengths back to Taralena.

Apple Betty raced wide throughout and was done after a mile, finishing sixth as the 4-5 favorite in a field of seven older filly-and-mare turf specialists.

Texting is trained by Chad Brown for Sarah Sharp Farish and was ridden by Javier Castellano. She paid $16.80 after negotiating the distance over a firm course in 2:27.88.

“She’s always shown us some good things in the morning, showed us a lot of potential, and if you look at her form, I’ve spotted her like I like her,” said Brown. “She just needed that right trip. It seemed like it was a strong pace early on, and I thought Javier used good judgment to sit back a little bit and move when he had to. I’m proud of her. It’s taken her a while to get her here, but she’s here now.”