Informed Decision, the 2009 Eclipse Award winner as top female sprinter, won her first race beyond seven furlongs, and first around two turns, July 27 in the $100,000 Windward Stakes at Presque Isle Downs & Casino (VIDEO).
Owned by Augustin Stable and trained by Jonathan Sheppard, Informed Decision won for the 13th time in 18 starts and now has career earnings of $1,952,759. She was ridden as usual by Julien Leparoux, the 2009 Eclipse Award-winning jockey.
The field for the one-mile Windward scratched down to five from 11, probably because of the presence of Informed Decision, who is currently based at the track near Erie, Pa. Informed Decision took immediate control and led throughout with fractions of :25.69, :49.86, and 1:14.21. She completed the mile on the Tapeta surface in 1:38.53.
Hooh Why made a bid for the lead on the far turn but could only get to within a half-length of Informed Decision, who slowly pulled away to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Cure for Sale rallied for third. The winner paid $2.60 as the heavy favorite.
Informed Decision, a 6-year-old Kentucky-bred mare by Monarchos out of the His Majesty mare Palangana, won last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I) and overall six of seven starts in 2009. After a pair of thirds this year, the mare won the Chicago Handicap (gr. III) on Polytrack at Arlington Park before her Windward victory.
In 2008, Informed Decision raced at one mile around one turn at Gulfstream Park and finished fourth. Before the Windward win, all of her victories had come at six to seven furlongs.
