Mrs. P. K. Cooper's Photo Call grabbed the lead coming off the turn and repelled the late run of Cushion to tally her first stakes win in the $100,000 Violet Stakes (gr. IIIT) Aug. 29 at Monmouth Park.
Video: Violet S. (G3T)
Ridden by Trevor McCarthy, the 4-year-old daughter of Galileo won by three-quarters of a length and covered 1 1/8-mile turf race in 1:47.94.
"The plan was to keep her covered up and relaxed as long as possible and that's what I was able to do," McCarthy said. "Around the far turn, I had to swing her out and she really ran on after that."
Third early as American Girl opened a clear lead while pursued by stablemate Means Well, Photo Call moved into second down the backstretch and pounced exiting the turn, easily seeing off American Girl to lead and then kicked away.
Cushion raced in last place in the five-horse field, tracking on the rail but had to wait for running room passing the quarter pole. Abel Castellano Jr. drove her between rivals in the stretch and she finished with plenty of energy to just miss.
Trained by Graham Motion, Photo Call came in with three stakes placings, including her third in the Perfect Sting Stakes July 3 at Belmont Park. For Saturday's win she returned $6, $3.40, $2.20. Cushion paid $3.80 and $2.40 while Granny Mc's Kitten returned $2.20 to show.
Means Well was fourth and American Girl completed the order of finish. Maximova was scratched.
Bred in Ireland by Mrs. Evie Stockwell from the Rock of Gibraltar mare Theann, Photo Call won for the first time in five starts this year and improved to 3-2-4 from 12 starts that also includes her second in the Beaugay Stakes (gr. IIIT) in May at Belmont and her third in the 2014 La Prevoyante Handicap (gr. IIIT).
