Ruthenia upsets the Violet Stakes at Monmouth Park
Virginia Kraft Payson’s homebred 4-year-old filly, Ruthenia, had only once participated in a graded stakes race in her 9 race career prior to the Grade 3 Violet Stakes, as she finished 10th in that race back in 2011, but this New Year, the filly has fended off challenges to keep herself undefeated in the Grade 3, $103,000 Violet Stakes at Monmouth Park.
Going over a distance of 1 1/16 miles on 28 May, 2012, Ruthenia was sent as the 10 to 1 choice against 6 other, 3-year-old and above fillies and mares.
Ridden by jockey Kendrick Carmouche, the pair was anchored right at the back in sixth, as the 7 to 5 favourite, Romacaca, was sent into the lead early.
Unbridled Humor was there to apply some pressure on the front runner, but despite that, Romacaca set slow fractions, and took 24.69 seconds to cover the opening quarter mile and 48.43 seconds to down the half mile marker.
As Romacaca reeled the field in at the mid-stretch, Unbridled Humor with all her might breathed down the neck of the leader, and eventually got in front, but Ruthenia didn’t like what she see, and picked up the pace to challenge Unbridled Humor and roared down the stretch to win the race by a length with the winning time of 1 minute and 40.68 seconds, as Pinch Pie nosed out Unbridled Humor to haul the second place finish on the money.
"Christophe gave me a call this morning and told me she’s a small filly and there was a lot of speed in the race," Carmouche said. "He said have her within striking distance and get through the holes, whenever one opened."
The daughter of Pulpit, was coming off a victory in the allowance/optional claimer at Gulfstream Park, where she went 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1 minute and 43.94 seconds on 7 April, 2012.
Out of Rahy mare Ruthian, Ruthenia defeated Silver Prism in second and Write When Ready in third with the winning time of 1 minute and 43.94 seconds.
With the win in the Violet Stakes, Ruthenia has been undefeated this season with 2 wins in as many starts.
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