Flipcup, who takes things to another level when racing on all-weather surfaces, held off a stretch challenge from favorite No Fault of Mine to win the $100,000 Arlington Matron Stakes (gr. III) by a neck Saturday, May 28 at Arlington Park. Watch Video
With the win in Saturday's 1 1/8-mile race for fillies and mares 3 and older, Team Penney Racing, Wachtel Stable, and Brous Stable's Flipcup improved her record on synthetic tracks to 5-1-1 from seven career starts. In winning her 5-year-old season debut, the daughter of Milwaukee Brew has won her past three Polytrack starts, all stakes.
With Christopher Emigh aboard Saturday, Flipcup saved ground while racing fourth through a half-milein :49.29 set by by longshot Tiz Lately. Emigh angled Flipcup out three wide in the far turn where she surged to the lead in early stretch.
"I had the inside post so I just kept her relaxed and found a good spot, and I got lucky that I got outside on the far turn," Emigh said. "She was just relaxed, so easy. I knew I had some horse left and it was a good horse race down the lane."
Racing about four wide through the stretch, Flipcup was challenged to her outside in the upper stretch by Lothenbach Stables' No Fault of Mine and jockey Carlos Marquez Jr., but the 9-5 favorite couldn't get past a determined Flipcup, who angled out a bit in the stretch in securing the narrow win. In grabbing her second grade III victory, Flipcup completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.32.
"I had the best trip," Marquez said. "The horse was drifting in front of me and kept coming out, and I got beat a big head. I think if [the winner] had run a straight course my horse would have won, but they kept drifting under a left handed whip and I ended up in the eight-path. I thought I had more horse but she hung a little bit. She tried hard and I can't take anything away from her. That's horse racing."
Trained by Racing Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Flipcup closed out 2015 with a fifth-place finish in the Bay Ridge Stakes for New York-breds on the Aqueduct Racetrack inner track. That effort followed wins in the Classy 'n Smart Stakes and Maple Leaf Stakes (Can-III), both on the Woodbine Polytrack.
Flipcup returned $12.20 to win, $5.40 to place, and $3.20 to show while No Fault of Mine returned $3.60 and $2.60. Recent Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare Stakes (gr. III) winner Brooklynsway raced last of nine early after stumbling at the start before rallying to finish third. She paid $2.60 to show.
Bred in New York by Team Penney Racing, Flipcup is out of the Touch Gold mare Dream Affair, who has produced three other starters, all winners.
