Satans Quick Chick slid through the inside under Leandro Goncalves and caught Slides Choice and Don'ttalktome in the final strides to pull a 23-1 upset in the $300,000 Lexus Raven Run (gr. II) (VIDEO) for 3-year-old fillies Oct. 24 at Keeneland.
The daughter of Sky Mesa earned her first stakes win in the seven-furlong Raven Run. The final time was 1:22.62 over Polytrack. Eric Reed trains the winner for Jerry Jamgotchian.
Breaking from post 3, Satans Quick Chick saved ground early on in a field of 14 and was next to last after Moontune Missy burned an opening quarter in :22.19. As they approached the turn a host of fillies made their way into contention, but it was Don’ttalktome with Terry Thompson in the irons who made the biggest move, and the Cactus Ridge filly quickly circled her way to the front.
Don’ttalktome, sent off at 41-1, had a commanding lead when she came off the turn. Only Slides Choice seemed to have a chance to catch her and the 49-1 longshot chased the leader down the stretch with Corey Lanerie aboard.
Slides Choice was gaining ground on the tiring leader inside the sixteenth-pole, but Satans Quick Choice, who had advanced around the turn and split horses at the top of the stretch, was now the biggest threat. She skimmed the rail and caught the two leaders in the final strides. She hit the wire a half-length in front of Slides Choice. Don’ttalktome settled for third, another half-length back.
“This was my first graded stakes win ever,” said Goncalves, who rode three winners on the day. “Eric Reed told me to break there and sit, save ground and when I get to the three-eighths pole see where you’re at, and find the best trip.”
The three longshots lit up the tote board in Keeneland’s feature. Satans Quick Chick paid $48.80, $23.80, and $15.60. The exacta (3-9) returned $1,347.20, and the trifecta (3-9-14) was $35,148.80. Even the dime superfecta (3-9-14-4) with fourth-place Pretty Prolific returned $5,930.12.
Satans Quick Chick came into the race having won three of seven starts in 2009, including a pair of allowance scores at Presque Isle Downs. She was sixth last out in the HBPA Stakes Sept. 26 at Presque Isle.
“I thought she was in trouble on the turn,” admitted Reed, who also earned his first graded stakes win at Keeneland. “But Leandro gave her a great trip. The waters parted at the eighth-pole and here she came.”
Satans Quick Chick was bred in Kentucky by Hargus Sexton and Sandra Sexton. She is out of the Devil’s Bag mare Dancing Devlette. The bay filly has now earned $252,229 from nine starts.
Test (gr. I) winner Flashing, the 2-1 favorite, finished 12th after giving way early on.
