To view the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, click here.
by Steve Myrick
Augustin Stable’s Informed Decision stayed perfect on synthetic surfaces when she wore down pacesetter Free Flying Soul and held off the defending winner to prevail in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) on Friday at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita Park meet.
The Monarchos filly stalked the pace under jockey Julien Leparoux, content to let longshot Free Flying Soul dictate the tempo. When she drew clear of that opponent in the stretch, she still had to hold off Ventura, who won this race last year with a dazzling closing kick and has had a brilliant campaign
“She broke good, and put me right where I wanted to be early in the race,” said Leparoux. “I was very happy from the start because I know what kind of kick she can give me. She's a champion, that's what champions do.”
Trainer Jonathan Sheppard, who captured his second Breeders' Cup victory, said the trip worked out perfectly for Informed Decision.
“She was always up there, clear and close to the pace,” said Sheppard, who won the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) with Forever Together. “She got the lead in plenty of time and kept driving to the wire. If there were a chink in her armor, Ventura would have caught her.”
Informed Decision completed seven furlongs in 1:21.66 on the synthetic Pro-Ride surface for her seventh win in as many synthetic starts.
Bred in Kentucky by Charles Kidder and Nancy Cole, Informed Decision is out of the winning His Majesty mare Palangana. With six wins in seven starts this season, including three Grade 1s, the gray or roan filly is in the driver’s seat for the Eclipse Award as champion female sprinter.
Ventura, who broke from the outside post in the field of nine, could close no closer than 1 1/4 lengths. Informed Decision was one of only two horses to beat Ventura this year, besting her by a head in the Vinery Madison Stakes (G1) at Keeneland Race Course. Multiple Grade 1 winner Gio Ponti, a contender for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), beat Ventura by a nose in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap (G1) in March.
“Pace makes the race,” said rider Garrett Gomez. “They were going exceptionally slow up front and there wasn't anyone up there to help me. When my filly kicked in, she started to gain on the other one, but she kicked in, too, and went into a higher gear. I just couldn't catch her.”
Ventura, trained by Bobby Frankel, finished second. Free Flying Soul, trained by Bruce Headley and ridden by Mike Smith, faded to third, another three lengths back.
“With no real pace in the race, I just let her go,” said Smith. “She was dead game all the way.”
For video of Informed Decision's trainer Jonathan Sheppard, click here.
For video of winning jockey Julien Leparoux, click here.
For video of winning owner George Strawbridge, click here.
For more quotes, click here.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Steve Myrick is a Massachusetts-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent