Singlet showed her heels to Kid Kate in the $75,000 Garland of Roses Stakes (VIDEO) at Aqueduct Racetrack Dec. 1, posting her third victory in four starts at the New York oval.
A 3-year-old making her first start against older runners, the Real Quiet filly won by 1 1/4 lengths in the six-furlong test, completing the distance in 1:10.75 as the 9-5 second choice. It was the final career start for 8-5 favorite Kid Kate, who earned stakes wins at 2, 3, 4, and 5.
Singlet was part of a three-way scramble for the lead as she raced outside of Curlina and Moonlit Malibu through an opening quarter mile in :23.03. Singlet claimed a one-length advantage after a half in :46.67, then widened the distance while getting five-eighths in :58.37 en route to the wire. Kid Kate closed late from fifth but could not make up the gap. Delightful Quality finished 2 1/2 lengths behind the winner in third.
"I didn't want to get tangled up with too many of them; I just rode my race," said winning jockey Mike Luzzi. "Cornelio (Velasquez aboard Delightful Quality) didn't take the spot, so I took it, and turning for home I just asked her."
Singlet returned $5.80, $3.30, and $2.30 as the 9-5 second choice. Kid Kate paid $3.10 and $2.10, and Delightful Quality brought $2.30. Curlina,
Jelly Cable, and Moonlit Malibu completed the order of finish.
Singlet opened her sophomore campaign with three starts at Aqueduct. She won the Xtra Heat starter stakes in January and the Dearly Precious overnight stakes in February on the inner track, then was fourth in the grade III Comely in April on the main track.
Following her stint at Aqueduct, the filly finished fourth in the Just Smashing in June at
Monmouth Park and second in both the Femme Fatale in July at
Penn National Race Course and Miss Woodford back at Monmouth in September.
"She had her sexy on today," said Tony Dutrow, who trains Singlet for Michael Dubb, Larry Brafman, and Daniel Ryan. "She was freshened (after the Miss Woodford), and apparently she had running on her mind today. We were hoping she'd come out running. She did very well on the inner track last year, so we're going to keep her in New York for a winter campaign."
Singlet is now 5-3-0 in 10 starts, with earnings of $256,644, including $45,000 for her Garland of Roses victory. She was bred in Kentucky by McKathan Bros. and is out of the Conquistador Cielo mare Taylor's Choice.
