Awesome Maria to defend the Ogden Phipps Handicap at the Belmont Park and extend the winning streak to seven
If there is a mare who knows how to undermine competition regardless of whatever level or grade, then she has to be Awesome Maria. She is the most promising entry for the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Handicap that will be contested by three-year and older fillies
and mares. The race will be held at the Belmont Park over a mile and 110 yards on Monday, 28th May.
The prize money set for the winner is £154,839.
Among the line-up of five, Maria’s Mon’s five-year-old grey/roan mare out of mare, Discreetly Awesome, is leading with the best credentials ever. She is unbeaten in her last six outings and is aiming for bagging the seventh win through the race today.
Even when she was not lining up win after win, the worst that she ever went through and that too just once, was the third position. It is hardly ever been a case that Awesome Maria was not entered as the favourite.
The four races that she became a part of during the previous season, were thorough successes in two Grade 3s, a Grade 2 and finally ended the season with striking a grand Grade 1.
She wrapped up the previous season on the same note that she is at today. She was the 13/20 favourite of the Grade 1 Handicap Ogden Phipps Stakes on 18th June at Belmont Park over a mile and half a furlong.
She led the field of five by three lengths and was soon accompanied by Payton D’Oro and catching up with the third slot was Super Expresso.
The five-year-old mare rolled into the new season on 25th February in the Grade 3 Sabin Stakes at Gulfstream Park over a mile and half a furlong. Riding with J. R. Velazquez, she took charge of the final eight lengths and set Royal Delta into
the runner up’s position.
Her second outing of the season was in the Grade 3 Rampart Stakes on 31st March at Gulfstream Park over a mile and a furlong. For a straight sixth time, Awesome Maria did not spare the rest of the contestants.
She was the 1/10 favourite and led the track by 2 ¼ lengths.
One of the most important elements for accomplishing this winning streak was the partnership with J. R. Velazquez. For a seventh time in a row, Awesome Maria will get paired up with Velazquez and there is hardly anything that will keep the two from thundering
to the wire today.
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