ALLAIRE DUPONT DISTAFF S. (gr. III ), Pimlico , May 18, 2013 , $150,000 Guaranteed , value of race $150,000 , 3 yo's & up , 1 1/16 miles , 1:46.54 Dirt FT .

Summer Applause didn’t let unfamiliar surroundings hinder her from scoring her third graded stakes victory in the May 18 Allaire DuPont Distaff Stakes (gr. III) at Pimlico Race Course.

The favored daughter of Harlan’s Holiday, who was racing for the first time at the Baltimore track, carried six pounds more than her four rivals in the 11/16-mile contest.

“To really pull away like that and to run such a strong race against some nice fillies, giving weight, I’m really proud of her,” said trainer Chad Brown of Summer Applause, who prevailed by two lengths under jockey John Velazquez. “We didn’t know what the pace was going to be, so I left it up to Johnny.”

Summer Applause, who also won the 2012 Rachel Alexandra Stakes (gr. III) and the March 2 Top Flight Handicap (gr. II), now holds an overall record of 5-2-0 from 11 starts, for earnings of $587,406.

Bill and Carole McAlpin’s Paris, Ky.-based Greenwood Lodge Farm bred and co-owns the Allaire DuPont winner with Dan Clark, Greg Skoda, and Gillian Campbell. Because the McAlpins were impressed by Summer Applause’s substance and temperament as a foal, they bought the filly back at the 2010 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling sale when she failed to meet her reserve at $82,000. Greenwood Lodge had consigned her to the sale through Bluewater Sales, agent.

The McAlpins, who are also involved in the coffee industry, bred Summer Applause’s unraced dam Summer Exhibition (by Royal Academy) under the name Paradigm Thoroughbreds. They bought Summer Applause’s stakes-winning second dam, Dewan’s Flag (by Dewan), for $50,000 when she was 16 years old at the 1996 Keeneland November mixed sale. In foal to Cherokee Run, she was consigned by Jaime S. Carrion, trustee, through Robert Courtney, agent.

The couple liked Dewan’s Flag because she had already produced multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Recoup the Cash (by Copelan), plus other stakes winner Up With the Flag. The mare’s female family also traces to other such important horses as 1997 Brazilian mare of the year Bandeira Nativa and Japanese multi-millionaire Hatano Adonis.

Summer Exhibition is also the dam of stakes-placed runner Big Easy (by Gulch). Her 3-year-old First Defence filly, Summer On the Lawn, will undergo early training under Josie Carroll following a minor health setback. Summer Exhibition is in foal to Tiznow for 2014.

Harlan’s Holiday is the sire of 37 stakes winners, including five 2013 added-money victors. The son of Harlan stands for $35,000 at Kenny Troutt’s WinStar Farm near Versailles, Ky.—E.M.