Favored Cascading, wearing blinkers for the first time, seized the lead at the head of the stretch and held sway under a hand ride from Patrick Husbands to capture the $151,344 Glorious Song Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Woodbine Nov. 15.
The daughter of A.P. Indy, owned and bred in Kentucky by Hill 'N' Dale Equine Holdings and Ed McGhee, registered a 1 1/4-length victory over second choice Roan Inish in the seven-furlong Polytrack race. Jenny's So Great finished third. The final time was 1:23.05.
Trained by Josie Carroll, Cascading was cutting back in distance from the 1 1/16-mile Mazarine (Can-III), in which she finished fifth as the 6-5 choice.
Husbands was pleased to see his filly rebound with a strong effort.
"Today, she was all professional," said Husbands. "She broke sharp and I just wanted to get her as relaxed as possible. I could have done anything with her today. I was trying to keep her really focused."
Husbands helped forced the pace on the outside with Cascading as Aurora Prospect, pressed by Bodua second, set an even pace (;23.24, :46.23). The winner launched her winning bid leaving the turn, taking control in upper stretch as the pacesetters gave way to Bet On the Blue and Roan Inish. Cascading, with a daylight advantage, was ridden out from the eighth pole as Roan Inish and jockey Eurico Da Silva continued to close on the far outside to gain the runner-up spot by 2 1/2 lengths. Jenny's So Great, with Emile Ramsammy aboard, finished willingly for third by a half-length over Bet On the Blue.
Cascading broke her maiden at first asking by two lengths going 6 1/2 furlongs on Woodbine's Polytrack Sept. 11, her only start prior to the Mazarine. The dark bay filly had posted a pair of bullet five-furlong drills in her most recent workouts following the Mazarine. Out of the Storm Cat mare Teeming, Cascading earned $85,680 for the victory, boosting her career total to $129,180.
"It's great," said McGhee. "Hopefully, her best days are yet to come. Last time, she was stuck on the outside practically the whole race. She didn't get to the inside. This was much better. She was in position to win this time."
The winner paid $6.30, $3.80 and $2.90. Roan Inish, winner of the Princess Elizabeth Stakes in her most recent try for trainer Carolyn Costigan, returned $5.50 and $4.20 and rounded out the $23.70 exacta. Jenny's So Great was $4.60 to show.
Cascading returned to the winner's circle as she captured the Glorious Song Stakes at Woodbine.
Michael Burns