Grace Phil, under an expert ride by Steve Bahen, found running room in mid-stretch to capture Saturday’s $125,400 Passing Mood Stakes, at Woodbine.
The chestnut daughter of Philanthropist-Loupe de Grace, conditioned by Bob Tiller for the Hoof Hearted Stables, was trained into this event following a fourth-place finish in the Lady Angela Stakes on May 20.
Kitty’s Got Class marked a moderate opening quarter in :23.28 in the seven-furlong turf tilt with Grace Phil saving ground along the rail, a half-length off the pace. Consecutive surged forward to meet the leader at the top of the lane, with Grace Phil blocked behind the front-running duo.
With a furlong to run, Bahen angled his filly off the rail and finished strongly to score a half-length victory. Consecutive held on for place, a length and a quarter in front of Kitty’s Got Class. Grace Phil covered seven furlongs in 1:23.69.
Bahen was pleased with his filly’s turf debut off the ground-saving trip.
“I was just trying to save her for the last part,” said Bahen. “It looked like I wasn’t going to get out. When I got out, and I called on her, she came running. She handled the grass real good today.
Tiller, who explained that Grace Phil had a low blood count following the Lady Angela, was happy to see Grace Phil return to form.
“She really wasn’t right for her last race,” said Tiller. “We trained her to this race, and I was a little upset with her last work being way too fast, but Stevie told me he just had her bent in half. I knew she was very fit, and very ready, and Stevie got it done and she got it done.”
Grace Phil banked $75,000 in winning her second added-money event, improving her career record to four wins from five starts.
She returned $8, $5.30 and $3.60, pairing with Consecutive ($6.20, $4.70) for a $72 (2-5) exactor. A 2-5-3 (Kitty’s Got Class, $4.80 to show) triactor was worth $367.20. A $1 2-5-3-9 (Nikkis Bold Gelato) superfecta paid $797.15.
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