Spring in the Air too good for the massive Alcibiades field
Mark E. Casse trained 2-year-old filly, Spring in the Air, showed her class in the Grade 1, $400,000 Darley Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland, when she powered home from mid-pack to defeat, Broken Spell in a massive field of 14 fillies and mares to win the 1 1/16 miles event on 5 October, 2012.
Grade 1 Alcibiades Stakes was the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” race for the Grade 1 Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Fillies Juvenile, and Spring in the Air’s next stop will be Santa Anita Park on 2 November.
John C. Oxley’s Spring in the Air stepped up to 1 1/16 miles for the first time in her career, and sized up the trip perfectly, as her previous race was run over a distance of 1 mile.
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies will be run on dirt, over which the filly has never run on, and she will have to stretch out to 1 1/8 miles for the first time in her career.
"She's just pure class," trainer Mark Casse said. "A lot of the other fillies were getting upset in the paddock but it didn't bother her at all. Patrick has ridden almost 1,000 winners for me. He had a ton of confidence in her to ride her like he did. She's got a pretty good surge to her when you hit the gas."
Jockey Patrick Husbands aboard Spring in the Air for the third time, broke well out of the gate and settled in the 10th, as the pacesetter, La Song, carved brisk fractions by going 22.98 seconds for the opening quarter mile, half mile in 47.13 seconds, and 6 furlongs in 1 minute and 11.85 seconds.
Magical Moon then made the move, but at the time the field swung by the far turn, La Song was still in the lead, but was soon bypassed at the top of the stretch.
Magical Moon had gained a clear advantage over the rest of the field, but Spring in the Air showed an impressive turn of foot. Turning for home, the Spring At Last filly angled out wide, but kept going to bag the race in 1 minute and 44.33 seconds.
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