Unchained Elaine's experience carries her to Any Limit triumph

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - A stakes-tested Unchained Elaine parlayed that experience along with a strong closing kick under jockey Junior Alvarado into a two-length victory over even-money favorite Rojo Rita and four other 3-year old fillies in Sunday’s $115,000 Any Limit Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Unchained Elaine, a daughter of American Pharoah trained by Patrick Biancone, came into the Any Limit having made five previous stakes appearances that included a third-place finish in the Cash Run going a mile here on New Year’s Day. In her most recent start, Unchained Elaine stepped into graded stakes competition for the first time when finishing fourth in the Grade 3 Forward Gal.

Facing a field of far lesser experienced rivals in the six-furlong Any Limit, Unchained Elaine rated off the early pace of Rojo Rita, who was pressed on the front end from the outset by Hold Your Breath through taxing fractions of 21.62 seconds for the opening quarter and 44.65 to the half. Unchained Elaine commenced her rally midway on the turn, angled to the middle of the track to continue her bid entering the stretch, then readily ran down the tiring leader a sixteenth out to win going away.

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Rojo Rita, making only her third career start, was easily second-best, finishing 6 3/4 lengths in front of her stablemate R Morning Brew, who checked home a distant and non-threatening third. Melle Mel, a tiring Hold Your Breath and a very disappointing Magnolia Prime rounded out the order of finish.

Unchained Elaine completed the distance over a fast track in 1:10.96 and returned $9.80.

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