Generous Touch took over the lead in midstretch and held sway for a half-length victory here in Saturday’s $125,400 Passing Mood Stakes, a seven-furlong turf race for Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies.
Generous Touch won the Passing Mood with an unofficial assist from Little Christmas, who came in and bumped the favored Sugar Jones in early stretch, causing that even-money choice to take up rather sharply just as she was swinging out to launch her move.
While Sugar Jones recovered quickly, the incident appeared to take its toll as her closing move fell short.
Generous Touch, meanwhile, broke sharply under jockey Eurico Rosa da Silva but conceded the early lead, dropping back to fourth while Old Valyria set the pace through a quarter in :22.62.
Old Valyria continued to lead through a half in :45.71 before Generous Touch launched her move around the final turn and in front through six furlongs in 1:10.05.
“She was very sharp; she wanted to go to the lead,” said Da Silva, who was riding Generous Touch for the first time. “I took her back a little bit. She was very, very relaxed. She was wonderful.
A homebred owned by Howard Walton, Generous Touch was making her first start on turf (as were each of her eight rivals) and recording her first stakes win for owner Sid Attard.
Westlodge Intrigue, who like Sugar Jones is trained by Mike Mattine, stalked the pace and finished a good third with Bella Fabiana rallying late to check in fourth.
Little Christmas, Kelly Bird, Old Valyria, Maximum Entropy and Bella’s Ballerina completed the order of finish.
Generous Touch ($16.30, $5.90, $4.40) keyed a 5-4 exactor payoff of $48.30 with Sugar Jones ($3.10, $2.90). Westlodge Intrigue ($7.50) completed a 5-4-1 triactor worth $383.20 with Bella Fabiana rounding out a $1 5-4-1-7 superfecta of $835.90.
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