Musical Romance up against tough competition in the Vinery Madison Stakes
The Grade 1 $300,000 Vinery Madison Stakes isn’t just about Musical Romance and the rest of the cast. It is far deeper than that, and if light is shed on this particular race’s past then it becomes apparent that other, non-favourite fillies and mares have
gone on to do big things in the Keeneland’s seven furlong test over the venue’s synthetic surface.
The race will go underway on 14 April, 2012, and with the top 3 finishers of the Grade 1 Santa Monica Stakes are participating in the Vinery Madison Stakes which makes it all the more exciting.
The 4-year-old John Sadler trained filly, Home Sweet Aspen won the Santa Monica Stakes over the Santa Anita Park’s synthetic surface over a distance of seven furlongs, downing the race in 1 minute and 21.42 seconds.
Sugarinthemorning finished a game second in the Santa Monica Stakes edging out She’s Cheeky to finish third, but it was a close finish in the end.
The 6-year-old Maple Lane Farm’s owned mare, Ariana D is in the mix as well and she has done extremely well over synthetic surface’s and has won two races at Keeneland’s synthetic surface, both allowance races ranging from six and a half furlongs to seven
furlongs.
Groupie Doll missed a close winner to Great Hot in the Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes back in October, 2011, over its synthetic surface at seven furlongs.
All of these fillies and mares make it a tough race to win, and Musical Romance, the Eclipse Award winner will have her work cut out after exiting a victory in the Grade 2 Inside Information Stakes at Gulfstream Park going over a distance of seven furlongs
on dirt.
She defeated Hot Summer in second and Groupie Doll in third, while she covered the distance in 1 minute and 21.88 seconds under jockey J. Leyva.
Breaking from post number 2 in the Madison Stakes, Musical Romance will keep J. Leyva as her mount with the odds of 3 to 1.
“It’s tough, but I think Grade 1s are supposed to be,” said Bill Kaplan, the Florida-based trainer who also co-owns Musical Romance. “The mare is coming into the racing outstandingly, as usual, and I don’t think she’ll be doing anything different. She’ll
be pressing the pace, and hopefully she’ll get a nice clean trip, which is what I worry about more than anything.”
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