Tough Catch takes Sugar Bowl; Simply Joking wins Letellier

A first-time starter named Doroteo wasn’t quite able to overcome a slow start to run down favored Tough Catch in the $100,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes on Saturday at Fair Grounds, but first-timer Simply Joking overcame hers in the $100,000 Letellier, nipping favored Whata Moon by a neck in a six-furlong dirt sprint for 2-year-old fillies.

Trainer Whit Beckman scratched morning-line favorite Her Laugh from the Letellier to run later Saturday in the Untapable Stakes, leaving debuting Simply Joking as his lone runner. Beckman’s confidence wasn’t misplaced. Away last under Jaime Torres, Simply Joking ran down the backstretch and into the far turn loaded with run, but with no room to operate. Torres finally made his way to the far outside, Simply Joking cruising up to the leaders and looking like a sure winner at the quarter pole.

Instead, 8-5 Whata Moon, off a romping Delta Downs debut maiden score, battled back, and Simply Joking, just trying to get the hang of racing, instead found herself in a dogfight. After switching leads professionally at the head of the stretch, she swapped back to her “wrong” lead in the final furlong, and only in the dying strides was Torres able to push his mount past the favorite.

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Simply Joking, who paid $7.60 as third choice in a six-horse field, clocked 1:10.33 over a fast track. Gerlin’s Empire finished a well-beaten third, five lengths behind Whata Moon.

Simply Joking, a daughter of Practical Joke and the E Dubai mare Imply, campaigns for Grantley Acres, Ryan Conner, and Berklels0813. The filly, a robust specimen, was bred in Pennsylvania by Barlar.

Simply Joking and Whata Moon both ran faster than Touch Catch, who posted a winning time of 1:10.48 capturing the Sugar Bowl over Doroteo. Away very slowly, Doroteo looped the field around the turn and made a serious run at Tough Catch before being turned away in the final half-furlong.

Tough Catch, beaten favorite last out in the $225,000 Ed Brown at Churchill Downs, raced just off the lead while between horses down the backstretch and into the turn before forging to the front under Luis Saez. Tough Catch ($2.80) put away all his pace rivals and responded gamely when the first-timer made his bid. Indiana Cat finished third, nearly eight lengths behind Doroteo, while second choice Countthebrave faded to last through the homestretch.

Dallas Stewart trains Tough Catch and is a part owner of the colt along with S.O.K, Racing, Gervais Racing, On Our Own Stable, and Zak Stables. A two-time winner from five starts, Touch Catch is by Complexity out of Try to Catch Her, by Broken Vow, and was bred in Kentucky by Martin Keough, Justin Wojczynski & Gemma Wojczynsi.

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