Laragh, the only graded winner in the $115,300 Edgewood Stakes (VIDEO) at Churchill Downs, May 1 captured the race in wire-to-wire fashion over favored Magical Affair.
Owned by IEAH Stables, Gary Tolchin and James Tagliaferri’s Pegasus Holding Group, the grade I winner Laragh went to the front and gamely held her position throughout the 1 1/16-mile turf contest, which was the eighth race on the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) undercard. She led by five lengths at the eighth pole and lasted for a 1 1/4-length triumph.
Under jockey Edgar Prado, Laragh completed the $100,000-added Edgewood in 1:43.88 on a track rated good and improved her record to 4-0-1 from eight starts.
“She is a very nice filly who has a lot of natural speed," Prado said. "We didn’t want to take her out of her game. We went to the lead and she was nice and relaxed. I was just hoping she would have enough at the end and she did.”
A 3-year-old daughter of Tapit —Rose of Summer, by El Prado, Laragh came into the race off an unplaced effort on a sloppy track in the April 11 Comely Stakes (gr. II) at Aqueduct, which was her first start on dirt and her 2009 debut.
Before that, Laragh closed her juvenile season with a victory in the Hollywood Starlet Stakes (gr. I) on synthetic track. Breaking her maiden on her second try last year at Woodbine on Polytrack, she scored her first stakes victory in the Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland in October. The Edgewood win, worth $67,912 increased the gray/roan filly's earnings to $581,877.
Laragh's part owners, IEAH, headed by Mike Iavarone, is also part-owner of Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) morning line favorite I Want Revenge.
Laragh set early fractions of :23.57 for the first quarter mile, 48:43 for the half and 1:13.04 for six furlongs. She drew off in upper stretch and held off a late bid from favored Magical Affair to deny that filly her first stakes victory.
"As long as you don’t fight her, she’ll give you everything she’s got," said winning trainer John Terranova. "Edgar rode her perfectly. She’s big speed and she can carry it. When I saw the half in :48 it was all over.”
Magical Affair, the 2-1 choice in the field of 10, finished 3 1/4 lengths in front of Banker's Choice, who checked in third.
“My horse started off slow, but once we get rolling we made up some nice ground," said Julien Leparoux, rider of Magical Affair. "It was going to be tough to catch the winner but I was happy with her effort and she fought hard to get the place spot.”
The Irish-bred Excelente finished fourth in her American debut, followed by Diamond Tags, Kiss Mine, Complicity, Mein Fraulein, Abott Hall and More of the Best. Fleet Streak and Walloon scratched.
Laragh carried high weight of 121 pounds and returned $7.40, $3.80, and $3 to her backers. Magical Affair paid $3.40 and $2.80. Banker’s Choice paid $4.80 to show.