Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Saratoga, New York - Communique appeared to have a sizeable class edge in Mondays co-featured fifth race, the $73,500 restricted Signature Stallion Stakes. The Grade III winning mare, runner-up in last year's Grade I Beverly Handicap), was looking to end a six-race losing. streak in the I -mile event on a firm Inner Turf.  Communique's task looked to get a bit easier with the late scratches of Avie's Tale and Nicksappealinglady, which reduced the field to six and her post-time odds to 7-10.  Zaskar jumped out to set the pace, leading by five lengths as the horses passed under the wire for the first time. The British-bred filly increased her advantage on the backstretch, but began coming back to the field on the turn.

 

Queen of Hearts, however, got first iump, reaching even terms with the leader and appearing to stick a nose or two in front as the horses neared the wire. A game Zaskar came on again and looked like she might have gotten the nod.The photo showed otherwise, though, giving Queen of Hearts a nose victory. Borrowing Base was another three-quarters of a length back in third. Communique missed the show spot by a half-length. The running time was 2 minutes, 27.85 seconds. "I thought we got beat," winning trainer James Jerkens said of the 4-year-old Thunder Gulch filly, who is owned by Susan Moore and M and M Thoroughbred Partners. "We were lucky to get that one. She was behind a jump before the wire, and she was behind a jump after the wire."

 

The win was Queen of Hearts' second in four starts. She broke her maiden in her previous race going nine furlongs at Belmont. "When she broke her maiden, she ran real strong and galloped out to the middle of the backstretch before they were able to pull her up." said Jerkens. "She looked like she was doing good so we were looking for any kind of race going long. This is the only one we saw so we decided to take a shot." Jose Espinoza was in the irons Monday. Queen of Hearts paid $17.66 to win as the 7-1 fourth choice. The Queen of Heart - Zaskar exacta was worth $142.00.

 

 photo by Tom Killips/The Pink Sheet

 

 

Jockey Jose Espinozo acknowledges fans as he brings Queen of Hearts to the winners circle after winning the Signature Stallion Stakes Monday afternoon at Saratoga Race Course.