David Cassidy on the Web
Sweet Vendetta Nets Black-Eyed Susan Stakes
May 16, 2008
www.pimlico.com
BALTIMORE, 05-16-08 - Under a heads-up, ground-saving ride by jockey Channing Hill, Team Penney Racing & David Cassidy's Sweet Vendetta rallied to win the $200,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (Grade 2) over the muddy going at Pimlico Race Course. A crowd of 18,407 braved on-again, off-again inclement weather to partake of 13 thoroughbred races, wagering $9,119,254 despite 23 fewer runners than a year ago on Preakness Eve at Old Hilltop. Six races were taken off the turf, resulting in a rash of scratches.
Sent off at odds of 7-1 in the field of eight 3-year-old fillies, Sweet Vendetta won her third race in seven starts. Trained by Gary Contessa, the bay filly was relentless in the drive as she caught She's All Eltish nearing the finish line, winning by 1½ lengths. Seattle Smooth finished third.
Cassidy, who bred the winner, reminded people in the winner's circle that Hill's father, Alan, rode My Juliet to victory in the 1975 Black-Eyed Susan. The junior Hill had scored his first graded-stakes victory this year aboard Golden Dawn in the Barbara Fritchie (Grade 2) at Laurel Park.
Sweet Vendetta completed the nine furlongs in 1:49.60. The New York-bred daughter of Stephen Got Even won the Andover Way Stakes at Aqueduct in her previous start.
The winner paid $17.40. The 2-8 exacta paid $85.80 and the 2-8-6 triple returned $514.20.
Trainer and Jockey Quotes
Gary Contessa (winning trainer, Sweet Vendetta) - "I loved the mile and an eighth for her. She was training up a storm. I know she's a natural at this distance. She's almost 17 hands and has that big loping stride. I thought this was a good fit here. When the heavens opened up last night that added more icing to the cake. We know she loves the mud, as well. This is what we'd envisioned. This race, and maybe on to the Alabama."
Channing Hill (winning jockey, Sweet Vendetta) - "What a tremendous filly. She broke great. The race unfolded exactly the way I figured it was going to. I figured I was going to be a little more off the pace than I was in her previous race. I think she's enough filly to handle anything. It ranks up there. I was fortunate enough to win the Barbara Fritchie this year. This is equal to that."
Martin Wolfson (trainer, Shes All Eltish, 2nd) - "Garrett rode her perfectly. She's done this to me three or four times where she opens up and kind of loses focus. She opened up at Gulfstream and then lost by a head. It doesn't take much of anything to distract her."
Garrett Gomez (jockey, Shes All Eltish, 2nd) - "My horse was running fine, but when we came around the turn, she saw the starting gate and turned in away from it. I lost her attention span for a little ways, but at the eighth-pole she went ahead and started running again for me. She lost focus on what she was doing and I'm pretty sure she would have kicked on and run a little harder for me. Once she lost focus, it took me a little while to get her back in stride."
Jurado Obdulio (groom, Seattle Smooth, 3rd) - "We really liked this filly. Today she was just too far behind. We were hoping to be four or five lengths behind (the leader) down the backstretch. But that wasn't the case. The winning filly moved faster in the stretch and we couldn't catch her."
Edgar Prado (jockey, Seattle Smooth, 3rd) - "My horse didn't break sharp, so I bided my time and when I turned her loose, she really came running at the end."
Tim Salzman (trainer, beaten favorite, Bsharpsonata, 8th) - "We've got no excuse."
Eric Camacho (jockey, beaten favorite, Bsharpsonata, 8th) - "It just wasn't her day today. It just wasn't her day."
