Gracer looked the part of a 1-5 shot Feb. 8 at Aqueduct Racetrack, cruising on the front end to a 10 1/4-length score in the $98,000 Dearly Precious Stakes for 3-year-old filly sprinters (VIDEO).
Away best of the field of five, the daughter of Exchange Rate was sent straight to the lead by jockey Alex Cintron and carved out splits of :23.35 for a quarter-mile and :46.53 for a half. Uncontested throughout, the swift filly bounded away from her competition by 6 1/2 lengths mid-stretch before clocking a final time of 1:10.36 on a fast inner track.
"Everything went great," said Cintron. "She was on the lead, easy. Today she went :23, :46. Usually, she goes very quick. She was very relaxed today, and I didn't even ask her."
Trained by Tony Dutrow for Team D and Three Chimneys Racing, Gracer's win was her third straight, all at six furlongs, after previously taking the Marshua Stakes at Laurel Park Jan. 4. Her fourth overall tally from six starts at six different racetracks raised her earnings to $243,000.
Dutrow, like Cintron, was impressed by the ease with which Gracer won, but was not willing to hand her the race before the gates opened.
"It appeared to be very easy for her," said the trainer. "She broke well and went very easily around there. I've watched a 1-9 horse get beat so many times. They all have to run around there; nothing's taken for granted in this business."
Gracer was bred in Pennsylvania by Russell B. Jones Jr. out of the five-time winning El Corredor mare Tina's Goal.
The overwhelming favorite, Gracer returned $2.40, $2.10, $2.10. Sustainable ($3.70, $2.70), who tracked the early pace set by Gracer, checked in second, and it was another four lengths back to Go West Marie ($3.01) in third. Bridget Moloney and Skye Saratoga completed the order of finish.
Gracer rolls to victory in the Dearly Precious Stakes.
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