The Mailet shipped to Hollywood Park from New York off a maiden win and came away with an 11-1 upset victory in the $100,000 Miesque Stakes (gr. IIIT) (VIDEO) on the grass Nov. 29.
Joel Rosario guided the 2-year-old Rock Hard Ten filly to the outside rounding the final turn in the one-mile test and The Mailet did the rest, charging past favored Connie and Michael mid-stretch. She outlasted the fast-closing In the Slips to win by a half-length in 1:35.05 over a firm course.
Trainer Bruce Levine took a shot with The Mailet after she broke her maiden in her turf debut Oct. 22 at Belmont Park, coming from off the pace over good going to score by 1 1/2 lengths.
Owned by Jose Singer, she turned in a couple of dismal main track starts over off-going at Saratoga and Belmont to begin her career before Levine switched her to the turf.
"Her first race she ran alright, she came in sixth, said Singer, who was in attendance. "The second race was sloppy and just awful. Bruce, who is not a man of many words, said 'Jose, I really like this filly. Give her a chance on the turf.'
"I go by the numbers, the Ragozin numbers," Singer added. "They were very good, especially for first time turf, so I convinced him to come out here and go for the graded race. And we had Joel Rosario, who used to ride my horses in the Dominican Republic. I started Joel off there."
The Mailet bumped at the start after breaking in and chased the pace in seventh as Camille C, Connie and Michael and Forbidden Paradise wrestled for the lead through solid quarter-mile fractions of :23.57, :47.14, and 1:11.31.
Connie and Michael, ridden by Kent Desormeaux, led the field into the stretch as The Mailet angled out for the drive. After battling for the lead, The Mailet took over from Connie and Michael just past the eighth pole and edged away. Under left-handed urging, The Mailet held on as In the Slips, in her North American debut for trainer Jeff Mullins, charged late.
"I had the perfect trip today. I was in the clear all by myself," Rosario said. "When I asked her she started running and she got there easy. I know they (Levine and Singer) couldn't wait to try her on the turf. She really likes it. She acts like she'll keep going and going."
In the Slips, with Garrett Gomez aboard, edged Connie and Michael by a half-length for second. Then came Camille C, Whispering Hush, Forbidden Paradise, Jules J, and Full Mandate, who was eased in the stretch by jockey Mike Smith after a rough trip.
The Mailet was bred in Kentucky by Wind Hill Farm. Out of the Smarten mare Emerging Glory, the dark bay filly sold for $75,000 at the Keeneland 2008 September yearling sale. Her second win in four starts was worth $60,000. She has banked $86,976.
Sent off as the sixth choice, The Mailet paid $25.40, $9.40, and $6, while completing a $99.20 exacta. In the Slips, coming off a pair of wins in Great Britain, returned $5 and $3.40. Connie and Michael, in her grass debut for trainer Ken McPeek, was $3 to show.
