Betting favorite Lucky Copy took a commanding six-length lead into the stretch, but could not find the wire in time during a desperate final sixteenth of a mile, as Closeout rallied from way back under Jamie Theriot to claim the $200,000 Pucker Up Stakes (gr. IIIT) (VIDEO) by a half-length Sept. 6 on the Arlington Park grass.
One race earlier in the $150,000 Arlington-Washington Lassie (gr. III) (VIDEO), pacesetter C.S. Silk was able to hold onto a lead, as the daughter of Medaglia d'Oro pulled away in the late going to win by six lengths in the one-mile event for 2-year-old fillies on the Polytrack. Robby Albarado guided her to the score.
Both winners went off at odds of 4-1 and earned their first graded stakes triumphs on "Ladies Day" in Arlington Heights.
A 3-year-old Repriced filly trained by Tom Proctor, Glen Hill Farm’s
Lucky Copy, who won the Hatoof Stakes Aug. 9 at Arlington, seemed to be on her way to a third consecutive score under Garrett Gomez, as she sprinted to the lead while setting fractions of :23.95, :48.05, 1:12.24 and 1:39.04. She extended her advantage in upper stretch and still led comfortably at the sixteenth-pole. But aptly-named Closeout,
“The distance was a big plus,” Theriot said. “The further she goes the better she’s going to be. The other horse (Lucky Copy) had a lot of speed and she was stopping the last eighth of a mile and my filly was just getting moving.”
Clear Pond, at odds of 30-1, finished third under E.T. Baird.
Out of the Relaunch mare Deep Discount, Closeout is now
In the Lassie, C.S. Silk broke sharply from post 8 and shot to the front. The Dale Romans trainee recorded aggressive splits of :22.33, :45.59 and 1:10.37, while Broadway Hennessey stalked through three-quarters. Several rivals were within striking distance at the top of the lane, but C.S. Silk extended her lead and drew clear in the final furlong. She paid $10, $7.40 and $5.40.
“She ran huge today,” Albarado said. “She is a relaxed horse, and did everything I needed her to do. When I asked her to open up in the stretch she did what I wanted her to do. I was very happy with what she did.”
Owned by William Pacella, George Bonomo and Fred Barbara, C.S. Silk was purchased for $120,000 at the Keeneland September 2007 yearling sale. She has now won two of three starts, her last effort a similarly convincing 6 1/4-length victory in maiden special weight company July 6 at Churchill Downs.
Bred in
“We could tell in the first half-mile that she was moving awfully easily even though they were going fast,” said Romans. “She looked very relaxed and she didn’t look like she was having any problem with the Poly. She was going fast but if Robby had her doing that, he must have felt she was doing it comfortably.
"It was a big race for her. If everything keeps going the way it has for her (the Breeders’ Cup) is where we are pointing.”
Quite the Lady was second at odds of 27-1 under Theriot, filling out a $216.60 exacta (8-7). Phola was third.
The final time on a fast track was 1:36.38.