A 3-year-old Arch filly, Absolutely Cindy completed the 1 1/16-miles on Polytrack in 1:44.69 under Orlando Mojica. It was her first win in three tries this year, as most recently she was a well-beaten sixth to Indian Blessing in the Feb. 9 Silverbulletday (gr. III) at Fair Grounds.
Your Round, who seemed to have the race locked up after his own decisive move around the far turn, was second, 6 1/2 lengths in front of Dixie Decision. Big Glen was fourth.
Dead last after a half-mile, Absolutely Cindy began to get revved up just as she made her way around the final turn. Moving like a locomotive, she ate up ground on her rivals with every stride until setting her sights on Your Round at the sixteenth-pole.
The electrifying move netted her a 1 ¾-length win at odds of 19-1 for owner-trainer Ronald Kinmon, as she became the first filly ever to win the Battaglia.
Like he did in the Feb. 2 WEBN Stakes at Turfway, Mr. Harry set a quick, early pace, posting fractions of :23.60 and :45.78. Best Buddy and Cherokee Triangle were the stalkers, with Halo’s King further back in fourth.
Mr. Harry continued to lead through six furlongs in 1:11.35, but as they made their way to the turn Your Round was in the midst of his bold, four-wide move under Victory Lebron. The runner-up in the WEBN grabbed the lead by two lengths at the top of the stretch.
But Absolutely Cindy and Mojica were also making their move further back. Tenth after three-quarters, the bay filly stormed past foes to get within 2 ½ lengths of the lead in upper stretch. Your Round had no chance to hold the lead in the final yards, as Absolutely Cindy’s momentum carried her to the win, going away.
“I went really wide because I didn’t want to get her in traffic, and I knew I had plenty of horse,” Mojica said.
Out of the L’Enjoleur mare Ms. Boucheron, Absolutely Cindy has a 3-2-3 record from 10 lifetime starts. She broke her maiden Oct. 24 on the Keeneland Polytrack and one month later took the one-mile Caressing Handicap on the turf at Churchill Downs.
Bred in Kentucky by Keith Kinmon, Absolutely Cindy was third to Bsharpsonata on the turf in the Tropical Park Oaks Jan. 1 at Calder Race Course, also rallying gamely in the late stages. The Silverbulletday was her lone start on dirt.
Kinmon said Absolutely Cindy's next start would be at Keeneland in April for the Ashland Stakes (gr. I).
The winner paid $41.60, $13.80, and $6.60. She topped a $244.80 exacta (8-7), and a $4,074 trifecta (8-7-5) with 40-1 Dixie Decision.
Briarwood Circle, the 2-1 favorite, finished last.
(Chart, Equibase)