Bit of Whimsy had already accomplished her major goal of the year for trainer Barclay Tagg when the 3-year-old filly captured the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland last month. She put an exclamation point on a strong campaign with her hard-fought victory in the $174,900 Mrs. Revere (gr. IIT) (VIDEO) on the Churchill Downs lawn Nov. 10.
Ridden by Javier Castellano, favored Bit of Whimsy stormed to the lead mid-stretch and held off the challenge of the outsider Ciao in the final stages to win the 1 1/16-mile test for 3-year-old fillies by a half-length.
Unraced at 2, Bit of Whimsy has won four of seven starts in 2007 with two seconds, including a victory in Belmont Park's Sands Point (gr. IIIT). She ran second in Belmont's Garden City (gr. IT) as well. Joyce B. Young, who co-bred the daughter of Distorted Humor —Kristi B (by El Prado), and Gerald McManis own her.
After breaking smartly, Bit of Whimsy took back and rated comfortably in about fifth or sixth as Tensas Yucatan set a temperate pace of :23.75, :47.99 and 1:12.36 while pressed by Lisa M. Gotta Have Her staked a brief narrow lead in the lane as Bel Air Beauty looked dangerous after getting through along the inside. However, both Bit of Whimsy and Ciao, who closed from well back, were flying on the outside. Bit of Whimsy took over, but she was soon tackled on the outside by Ciao, ridden by Kent Desormeaux. The two battled for most of the final furlong before Bit of Whimsy edged away in the final strides. Cat Charmer, Julien Leparoux aboard, ran on well for third, two lengths behind the winner. The final time was 1:43.16 over a firm course.
“She had to run a little harder this time than she did the last time, I think, but she pulled it off,” Tagg said. “It looked like they were going to run by her right there at the eighth pole and she dug in again and kept right on running. I loved that.”
The victory, worth $101,933, increased Bit of Whimsy's career earnings to $551,533 this year. Bonner Young and Joyce B. Rowand co-bred the chestnut filly in Kentucky. Bit of Whimsy won the QE II Challenge Cup by 2 1/4 lengths on Oct. 13.
She paid $5.20, $3.20 and $2.60. Ciao, coming off a romping allowance win on the Hawthorne turf for trainer Frank Kirby, returned $12.40 and $8.60, rounding out a $76 exacta. Cat Charmer, who won Belmont's one-mile Pebbles last time out, was $52.20 to show.
The Mrs. Revere marked the final stakes appearance for veteran jockey Mark Guidry, who retired from riding at the end of the 10-race card. The 48-year-old native of Lafayette, La. finished seventh aboard Bel Air Beauty.
He scored one victory in five rides to conclude his 33-year career with a victory total of 5,043 from 31,321 races. Guidry’s mounts earned $100,857,648 during his career.
Costume finished fourth, followed by Long Approach, Kiss With a Twist, Bel Air Beauty, Touch My Soul, Gotta Have Her, Tensas Yucatan, and Lisa M. Bicoastal, Dashes N Dots, and Katerbug were scratched.
(Chart, Equibase)
Bit of Whimsy wins the $174,900 Mrs. Revere at Churchill Downs.
