By Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile
LEXINGTON,
KY—A season-long bout of runner-up finishes to division leader Shartin N ended
on Sunday, Oct. 6 at The Red Mile as Caviart Ally upended the star pacing mare
with a 1:48.3 mile in the $87,000 Fear The Dragon Allerage Farms Mare
Pace—sponsored by the Fear The Dragon Syndicate and Midland Acres.
Shartin
N, sent the 1-9 favorite, pushed for the front to lead the field of six through
a :27.2 first quarter with Kissin In The Sand sitting second and Caviart Ally
third and raced uncontested on the front to a :54.3 half.
Driver
Andrew McCarthy moved Caviart Ally first over entering the final turn and
blitzed Shartin N heading to three-quarters in 1:22. Shartin N drifted from the
cones entering the stretch and tried to fend off Caviart Ally but the
five-year-old Bettor’s Delight mare overpowered the 2018 Dan Patch winner into
the final eighth and drew away to victory. Kissin In The Sand chased the pair
in third.
“We’ve
been waiting for her to beat Shartin,” said Judy Chaffee, co-owner of Caviart
Ally. “Finally, it happened.”
“We
tried [to beat Shartin] all different ways,” said winning trainer Brett Pelling
after the race. “We tried to seat her in behind us, we’ve tried the two hole
and today—this mare’s really, really good when the weather’s cooled off.
Everything about her—she’s right on her game right now.”
Winning
her 23rd race from 69 starts, Caviart Ally—bred by Hanover Shoe
Farms—has earned $1,585,716 for owner Caviart Farms.
“My
biggest battle right now is to talk Judy and co. into racing her next year,”
Pelling also said, jokingly, “so we can do it all over again. It’s been a great
thrill; she’s a great mare. She’s just one of those horses you love to have in
your barn.”
Buck
Chaffee, co-owner of Caviart Farms, commented on bringing Caviart Ally back as
a six-year-old, saying “Things are possible, who knows what will happen. But
for her to come and finally beat Shartin—they’ve raced super all year, and just
two fabulous mares.”
Buck
also confirmed Caviart Ally will race next in the Breeders Crown at Woodbine
Mohawk Park.
