Winner's circle, not sale ring, for Waquoit's Love

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Anybody looking for catalog No. 269 at Monday's Keeneland auction won't find Waquoit's Love in the sale ring. But she could have been seen 24 hours earlier in the Gulfstream Park winner's circle after the 6-year-old mare rallied to a neck victory over fellow longshot Sea Chanter in Sunday's $100,000 Marshua's River.

Owner Dennis Federico opted to scratch Waquoit's Love out of Monday's sale to run her in the Marshua's River because of what trainer Tim Hills said figures to be a weak market considering the economy.

Waquoit's Love, a daughter of Not for Love, raced within easy striking distance of the early leaders while saving ground from the outset of the 1 1/16-mile Marshua's River. She found ample room when commencing her rally along the hedge turning for home, surged to command near midstretch, and after drawing well clear easily withstood a late run from the wide-running Sea Chanter. Ginger Brew, the even-money favorite in a field of 13 fillies and mares, was also hung wide throughout, gained a brief advantage from the extreme outside entering the stretch, but could not sustain her rally.

Waquoit's Love was ridden to victory by Rene Douglas. Douglas was substituting for Elvis Trujillo, who was complaining of pain in his hand after being involved in a mishap over the turf course earlier in the day.

Waquoit's Love returning $19.60 after covering the distance in 1:41.18 over a firm course.

"The only instructions I gave Rene was to put her in the race early and don't get shuffled back," said Hills. "She's such a big mare that if she gets too far back, as was the case in her last start, by the time she gets through, the race is over. And that was a pretty nice hole she had to go through into the stretch."