It’s Tricky’s connections ponder over her next start after her successful start to the new campaign in the Top Flight Stakes
The 4-year-old Mineshaft filly, It’s Tricky, has been magnificent throughout her career, where in 10 starts she has finished first six times, and second 3 times, with a lone 4th place finish early in her sophomore season, but she was called back
as a 4-year-old to make her 2012 debut in the Grade 2 Top Flight Stakes, and she responded in champion like manner, bagging her first win after a second place finish to winner Royal Delta in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic at about 1 1/8 miles at
Churchill Downs last fall.
Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin for owner’s Godolphin, It’s Tricky came out of the Grade 2 Top Flight a little tired according to her trainer, but she is doing fine otherwise.
The Kentucky bred is out of mare Catboat by Tale of the Cat, It’s Tricky was sent to New York to run in the Grade 2 Top Flight Stakes at Aqueduct, going over a distance of 1 1/16 miles on dirt against 4 other 3-year-old and above fillies.
Under Veteran jockey Ramon Dominguez, It’s Tricky was confidently ridden tucked behind the leader, but she tracked the pace and moved up to challenge on the outside when asked, and took over the leader’s position from Love and Pride, who set the pace on
the inside, but finished second.
Now her connections are pondering over a suitable start for the filly, and after a mildly challenged race, her connections would be looking for something substantial which would test her limits this early in the season to get her used to the labouring she
did in her previous season.
To get her in tuned for a busy season, McLaughlin is looking at something like the Distaff Handicap at Aqueduct, a race which is run over a distance of seven furlongs on 14 April, 2012.
Gulfstream is always going to be a doubtful option because the filly didn’t run well over the track their last time around, and this time Gulfstream has the Rampart Stakes to offer on 31 March, 2012.
After the Distaff Handicap, it’s the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park which interests McLaughlin for his filly’s next start, but wherever the filly runs, her ultimate goal for spring is the Grade 1, $400,000 Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park on 28 May, 2012.
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