Shedaresthedevil © Benoit Photo
Flurry Racing Stables, Qatar Racing Limited or Big Aut Farms’ Shedaresthedevil walked her beat Sunday at Del Mar and came away a handy three and one-quarter length winner of the Grade I, $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes.
The big bay daughter of Daredevil broke smartly, sat just behind the speed, then went to the front when rider Florent Geroux gave her the signal on the far turn and left little doubt as to who the best horse was today in the mile and one-sixteenth headliner.
Trainer Brad Cox sent assistant Eric Gary west with his 4-year-old and he watched her cover the distance in 1:45.38, drawing away from her rivals at the finish.
Running second in the Hirsch was the pacesetter, Ciagila Racing, Highland Yard, et al’s Venetian Harbor, who had three and a quarter lengths on Mathiesen Racing, Feghali, et al’s Paige Anne.
Shedaresthedevil, who went off at 13-10, returned $4.60, $2.60 and $2.60 across the board. Venetian Harbor paid $3.20 and $3.60 and Paige Anne returned $5.80 to show.
The win was worth $180,000 to Shedaresthedevil and pushed her sizeable bankroll past the $2 million mark to $2,047,318. She now has won eight of 15 starts with two seconds and four thirds besides.
The Hirsch was a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff, which will be run at Del Mar on November 6 at nine furlongs.
The track’s Pick Six Single Ticket Jackpot wager continued to be too tough to crack for players and carried over for the eighth straight day. The sum that will be in the pool when racing resumes Thursday starting at 2 p.m. will now be $686,925.
FLORENT GEROUX (Shedaresthedevil, winner) – I’m very pleased. The idea was to get her to break alertly, then get a good spot. That’s exactly what happened. She ran her race today and she’s very good when she does. I’d have to say she’s up there with the best mares I’ve ever ridden. And his is her third Grade I win. And the fact that she showed she can run well on the track where the Breeders’ Cup will be held, that’s a good thing, too.”
ERIC GARY, assistant to Brad Cox (Shedaresthedevil, winner) – “We sat right off the lead, nice, calm and relaxed and when it was time to go she showed up like she was supposed to. We had a good stalking position and when I saw they went the half in :47, I thought we were going to be OK. Being around her this morning, I had a really good feeling that she was going to run big today. She flies back tomorrow (to Kentucky) with some other horses and then I guess she’ll be back in November. ”
FRACTIONS: :23.30 :47.21 1:11.77 1:38.33 1:45.38
The stakes win was the first of the meet for rider Geroux and his first in the Clement L. Hirsch. He now has three stakes wins at Del Mar.
The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Cox and his first in the Clement L. Hirsch. He now has three stakes wins at Del Mar.
The winning owners are Flurry Racing Stables and Qatar Racing Limited or Big Aut Farms.