Melody Conlon and Mighty Caroline land their first graded stakes win in the Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar
The 2-year-old Melody Conlon trained Mighty Caroline, forged to the lead under jockey Joel Rosario as they entered in the stretch and went on to defeat the lot comfortably by 1 ¼ lengths to win Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes for juvenile fillies at Del Mar on 5
August, 2011.
John M. Liviakis’ homebred Mighty Caroline, was sent at 4 to 1 odds to win the race as the second choice favourite, who won her first stakes race ever.
The execution of the plan was spot on, as Joel Rosario guided his filly in fine style but kept the essentials in mind. The pair tracked behind the leader within touching distance and piled on the pressure.
According to Joel Rosario, it was a golden trip, the filly got into good places from where it was easy to accelerate.
Trainer Melody Conlon was over the moon after the win and, he had every reason to feel happy because first of all he planned the race and it all came together for him as his filly won, secondly in 10 years of training, Melody Conlon won his first graded
stakes win and his first at Del Mar.
Prior to the Sorrento Stakes, Mighty Caroline had run in two previous races. She broke her maiden this year on 12 June, 2011, in her first attempt at Hollywood Park synthetic surface over at a distance of five furlongs.
The final time of the race was 59.11 seconds.
Her second start was in the Landaluce Stakes also at Hollywood Park synthetic surface over at a distance of six furlongs. The 2-year-old filly got beat by the even money favourite Killer Graces on 16 July, 2011.
Mighty Caroline tracked River Kiss, who was ridden by Martin Garcia till the top of the stretch and then decided to kick it up a notch with 2 furlongs out.
Entering the stretch Mighty Caroline assumed the leaders’ position as she stormed onwards to reach home in a fast 1 minute and 16.75 seconds, over at a distance of 6 ½ furlongs.
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