Havre de Grace gets best of Blind Luck

By: SPORTS NETWORK

 

Bensalem, PA (Sports Network) - Leading three-year-old filly Blind Luck was upset by Havre de Grace in the $750,000 Cotillion Stakes for three-year-old fillies at Parx Racing in suburban Philadelphia.

It was the third straight meeting between the two fillies with Blind Luck winning the first two encounters.

Havre de Grace, ridden by Jeremy Rose, had finished second to Blind Luck by a neck in both the Delaware Oaks and Alabama Stakes. For the Cotillion, Blind Luck was the 7-10 favorite and Havre de Grace was 6-5 in the five-horse field.

Trained by Tony Dutrow, Havre de Grace was racing a couple lengths behind pacesetter Bonnie Blue Flag while Blind Luck and jockey Joel Rosario were last.

Around the final turn Havre de Grace took the lead while the favorite mounted her typical rally. At the top of the stretch Havre de Grace had a clear lead with Blind Luck trying to cut into the advantage.

Havre de Grace was able to hold off the late running favorite and post a neck victory. Awesome Maria finished third followed by Bonnie Blue Flag and Absinthe Minded.

Havre de Grace covered the 1 1/16-miles in 1:40.93 on a fast track.

"I kept her a bit off the rail," remarked the winning jockey. "I had ridden a couple other races on the card and found the inside to be a little deep."

Havre de Grace paid $4.40, $2.20 and $2.10. Blind Luck returned $2.10 and $2.10, and Awesome Maria paid $2.20 to show.

Owned by Fox Hill Farm, Havre de Grace earned $435,000 with Saturday's win and has now won three of seven career starts for $675,175.

"She's proven time and again that she's one of the best of her generation," said Dutrow, "and yet, she wasn't even a stakes winner yet. It is very special when you win a race like this and do so beating a horse the quality of Blind Luck."