Trail Ridge Road rallies to win Illini Princess Stakes

Trail Ridge Road ran down a game Katie M’lady to win the $75,500 Illini Princess Stakes for Illinois-bred turf-route fillies and mares on Saturday at Hawthorne.

Under a patient ride from Orlando Mojica, Trail Ridge Road closed steadily from sixth to take the measure of Katie M’Lady in the final half-furlong, pushing out to a two-length win. Katie M’lady pressed the pace for about a quarter-mile before taking the lead and setting a strong half-mile pace of 46.50 seconds in this 1 1/16-mile grass contest, and she ran well in defeat, holding second by almost four lengths over Kingsbury Dream.

:: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match and FREE Formulator PPs! Join DRF Bets.

Trail Ridge Road, trained by Chris Block for his family’s breeding and ownership operation, Team Block, paid $9.20 as the third choice, a generous price for a clearly capable filly racing for the first time in Illinois-bred competition.

Trail Ridge Road easily won her debut, an open turf-route maiden at Hawthorne, before finishing second and fourth in tougher Colonial Downs allowance races.

Trail Ridge Road is by Point of Entry out of Summerlin, by Lost Soldier.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.