Para se ter uma ideia, como isto é verdade, logo a seguir, no Mac Diarmida, uma carreira igualmente em 2,200 metros os parciais foram de 25"43, 49"85, 1'59"79 e a milha em 1'40"18. Logo, parciais semelhantes. Mas como terminaram? Inimitable Romanee em 2'15"40 e Twilight Eclipse, em 2'15"18.
Nunca gostei de comparar, mas pelo andor da procissão, diria que Viva Rafaela, está, neste momento, em melhores lençóis que Old Tune. Tenho minhas dúvidas ainda que ela possa ganhar em Keeneland, Saratoga (onde já correu) ou em Belmont Park, mas pelo menos não só está com pinta que correrá melhor, como também, com um pouco mais de desenvolvimento técnico, quem sabe, não se gradue por lá?
Ella resistiu bravamente na reta por 100 metros o ataque da vencedora, porém no final entregou-se, perdendo a segunda colocação a poucos centímetros do disco. Em mais 10 metros talvez fosse sexta. Mas como sempre digo, a corrida era de 2,200 metros e não de 2,210 metros.
Inimitable Romanee Gets Gulfstream Distance
Inimitable Romanee wore down pacesetter Viva Rafaela in the final furlong to score a convincing victory in $100,000 The Very One Stakes (gr. IIIT) Feb. 15 at Gulfstream Park (VIDEO).
The 6-year-old Maria's Mon mare struck from off the just off pace and comfortably held back the closing charge of Aigue Marine
to win by a length. The triumph was a display of versatility following
her front-running win at 28-1 in the 1 1/2-mile Long Island Handicap
(Gr. IIT) Nov. 9 at Aqueduct Racetrack in her previous start.
With Alan Garcia riding for trainer Graham Motion, Inimitable
Romanee covered 1 3/8 miles in 2:15.50 on firm turf while improving her
career line to 4-6-5 with earnings of $383,875 from 21 career starts.
The New York-bred is campaigned by breeder Gallagher's Stud.
"She broke good and was nice and relaxed," Garcia said of Inimitable Romanee, who won at 10-1 odds.
Inimitable Romanee settled into striking position in fourth early
as Viva Rafaela, a group I winner in her native Brazil, sprinted to the
lead and set moderate fractions :23.78, :49.99, 1:15.50, and 1:39.66
through a mile. She maintained a clear advantage from Seanchai and Aigue Marine, who tracked from second and third.
Inimitable Romanee and Seanchi moved closer to the leader nearing
the home turn. With his sights on Viva Rafaela, Garcia asked Inimitable
Romanee for more and she found another gear to collar Viva Rafaela at
the eighth pole. The two were eyeball to eyeball for a few strides
before the winner dug in and pulled clear for the victory under urging.
As Seanchai weakened, Aigue Marine, ridden by Joel Rosario, rallied
past Viva Rafaela and John Velazquez, who held on for third, a neck
back.
Inimitable Romanee paid $22.40, $8 and $4.80 and Aigue Marine
returned $4.40 and $3.40 to combine for a $130.20 exacta. Viva Rafaela
paid $5.60.
Left a Message finished half a length farther back in fourth, followed by 8-5 favorite Preferential, who ran evenly to finish fifth. Seanchai and Dame Marie completed the order of finish.
Anjaz, a temperamental Street Cry mare out of former world-record priced broodmare Playful Act, was fractious in the starting gate and was scratched.
"She's got a little temper behind her," said trainer Tom
Albertrani, who later on the card won the Mac Diarmida (gr. IIT) with
favorite Twilight Eclipse. "She just had some minor scratches. It's
unfortunate, but I know they're just doing what's best for the horse."
Inimitable Romanee, who is out of the stakes-winning Kissin Kris mare Cellars Shiraz,
placed in six stakes for state-breds in 2012 and 2013 before her
breakthrough in the Long Island. Her career began with Amanda Perrett in
England where she broke her maiden in her second start.
"We backed off of her a little bit (after the Long Island)—I
didn't want to come down here and run in every race," Motion said. "We
had the idea of giving her a little break. She'd been running maybe not
all year, but she had had a good go, so we backed off of her a bit."
Inimitable Romaneehad primarily been campaigned in two-turn races for the last two years before stretching out to 12 furlongs in the Long Island.
"I'm not surprised that she's come into herself, I should have tried her at a mile and a half about three years ago, I guess," Motion said. "This was our first goal and I'm not going to be in a hurry to run her back. It's a long year. I am lucky that (owner) Mrs. (Marlene) Brody decided to keep her in training because she very easily could have sent her to the breeding shed. I feel very fortunate that she kept her going."
Inimitable Romaneehad primarily been campaigned in two-turn races for the last two years before stretching out to 12 furlongs in the Long Island.
"I'm not surprised that she's come into herself, I should have tried her at a mile and a half about three years ago, I guess," Motion said. "This was our first goal and I'm not going to be in a hurry to run her back. It's a long year. I am lucky that (owner) Mrs. (Marlene) Brody decided to keep her in training because she very easily could have sent her to the breeding shed. I feel very fortunate that she kept her going."
