Jedburgh Stud’s All Is Vanity, sixth at the top of the lane, displayed a huge turn of foot in the final furlong and passed Quiet Meadow in the final strides to take a thrilling edition of the $150,000 Eatontown (gr. IIIT) (VIDEO) June 7 on the Monmouth Park turf.
A 5-year-old French-bred daughter of Gold Away, All Is Vanity recorded her first graded stakes win in the states after a pair of close runner-ups. The homebred mare won the group II Prix de Sandringham Mitsubishi Motors at Chantilly as a 3-year-old. She is trained by Christophe Clement.
All Is Vanity raced mid-pack in the early stages of the 1 1/16-mile event for fillies and mares, as Sugar Baby Love set the pace under Carlos Marquez Jr. They ran the opening quarter in :24.04, a half in :48.43, and three quarters 1:12.72. Quiet Meadow, stalking the whole way with Elvis Trujillo aboard, came off the turn with lead and took the field into the stretch.
A wall of horses, including Social Queen and 3-2 favorite Ariege, were in contention in the final furlong, but it was All Is Vanity who loomed the biggest threat to the new leader. Under Joe Bravo, All Is Vanity was swung wide for her stretch run and accelerated past her rivals with an eye on Quiet Meadow. She got up in the last few jumps for a neck victory.
“I just waited with her,” Bravo said. “She was nice and relaxed. It seemed like everyone made a premature move up the backstretch and I just waited. At the sixteenth pole, she came up to that other filly (Quiet Meadow), and I knew we had it then. She was real professional today.”
The final time on a turf course labeled good was 1:41.67. Quiet Meadow settled for a tough-luck second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of third-place Chestoria.
The winner paid $7.20, $4.40 and $3.20. The exacta (4-5) returned $55.80 and the $1 trifecta (4-5-1) was $106.60.
All Is Vanity is out of the Inchinor mare Castilly. Brought to the U.S early last year, she has hit the board in every start over here – now 3-3-3 from nine starts. The chestnut was beaten a head by Social Queen last out in the May 16 Gallorette Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Belmont. She won the restricted Beautiful Pleasure Stakes at Belmont last summer. Overall, she has earned $477,388 from 22 starts.
“This mare is very consistent,” Clement said. “She has not finished off the board in any stakes race in the U.S. We got lucky we found some room in the lane, and luck is always good to have. Anytime you put Joe Bravo on your horse in New Jersey you know you’re going to get a good ride. He’ a great rider and always gives the best ride you can ask for.
“I’m not sure where this mare will run yet. She may run here at Monmouth next or in a stakes race in Pennsylvania.”
Ariege, winner of the Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I) last year, was fourth in her 2009 stakes debut for Bobby Frankel.
