Reason to Talk wins the Doubledogdare.
Jockey Pat Day sent Reason to Talk to the lead soon after the start and she was never seriously threatened while winning the $105,439 Doubledogdare Stakes Wednesday at Keeneland.After Belterra and Ifyouprefersilver scratched out of Wednesday's Doubledogdare Stakes at Keeneland, only four fillies were left to fight it out. Salty Farma was the slight favorite over Reason to Talk at post time. Those two both broke sharply and set out ahead of Extend and Seven Four Seven as the field headed into the first turn. Reason to Talk and Day held a slight lead as they headed through the backstretch and covered the first quarter in :24.09. After a half-mile in :48.14, Reason to Talk and Day still had the lead, but by just a head over Salty Farma and Lonnie Meche. The time for six furlongs was 1:12.62.As the field left the turn Salty Farma tried to make her move, but Reason to Talk easily drew away with only mild urging. With a furlong left to go Reason to Talk had opened up three lengths on Salty Farma and continued to draw away to finish six lengths ahead of Salty Farma. Extend and Seven Four Seven never changed places and finished the same way they started, in third and fourth. "She was running nice and comfortably, playing cat and mouse all the way," said Day. "Every time the other filly (Salty Farma) would come to her, she would gather herself and open up under her own power."The winner covered 8 1/2 furlongs in 1:45.19 on a fast track and paid $5.80 to win and $3 to place. Salty Farma returned $3.20 to place. The short field meant no show betting. The exacta returned $11.40."She was hanging on the left rein all the way around the first turn and she doesn't like it when you have to put her into the bit," said Meche of Salty Farma. "She wasn't even running down the lane but she managed to hold on for second."David Vance trains Reason to Talk for K and K Racing Stable, who bred Reason to Talk (Sabona--Reasoning, by Naskra) in Kentucky. The 4-year-old mare won the Sam Houston Distaff Handicap in January and finished second in the Pippin Stakes at Oaklawn in February. Reason to Talk won for the sixth time in 18 career starts and increased her career earnings to $210,519. (Chart, Equibase)
