Victory Lap Takes Checkered Flag at Ellis Park

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Forging Oaks Farm's Victory Lap circled her rivals while seven wide on the turn for home and registered an impressive 1 3/4-length win over a large field at odds of 28-1 in the $100,000 Ellis Park Breeders' Cup Turf for fillies and mares Saturday.

Hard ridden by Orlando Mojica for trainer David Carroll, Victory Lap ran the 1 1/16-mile distance on firm going in 1:39 3/5. She paid $59.80, $30.40, and $12.40.

Victory Lap was last of 12 after a quarter-mile and remained near the rear of the pack until the three-furlong marker when she commenced her wide bid on the turn. The 4-year-old Touch Gold   filly finished even wider as she swept past Dash of Humor, who had opened a two-length lead at the eighth pole for Brian Hernandez Jr., and settled for second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Praia Da Pipa and Larry Melancon.

Flying Glitter, the 7-2 favorite ridden by Corey Lanerie, faded to last in the stretch after battling Baena through serious fractions of :23, :45 2/5 and 1:08 4/5.

Victory Lap returned to the winner's circle for the first time since taking the Lone Star Oaks in July 2005. She was twice graded stakes-placed after her Texas victory but had lost seven in a row. She was coming off an eighth-place showing in the one-mile HBPA Stakes at Ellis July 22. The bay filly has won six of 20 lifetime starts with earnings of $250,811.

G. Watts Humphrey Jr. and Dedman and Dedman bred Victory Lap, who is out of Checkered Flag, by A.P. Indy, in Kentucky.

Dash of Humor paid $6.60 and $5.40, completing a $455 exacta. Praia Da Pipa ($5.80) rounded out a $3,266 trifecta. A $2 superfecta including fourth-place finisher Aristocratic Lady, was $39,147.

(Chart, Equibase)

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