No ‘Happy’ ending for Louisiana filly
Posted on Sunday, April 9, 2006
HOT SPRINGS — Different day. Different horse. Same sire. Same gut-wrenching dose of sadness for Happy Ticket.
Spun Sugar, part of trainer Todd Pletcher’s seemingly endless supply of top-shelf talent, outfought Happy Ticket in a briefly bizarre stretch setting to post a neck victory in the $ 500, 000 Grade I Apple Blossom Handicap for older fillies and mares Saturday afternoon at Oaklawn Park.
A month earlier, Round Pond, another 4-year-old daughter of Awesome Again, edged Happy Ticket by a neck to win the $ 175, 000 Grade III Azeri Breeders’ Cup, Oaklawn’s final major prep for the Apple Blossom. With Round Pond sitting out the rematch because of a minor injury, the door was open for Happy Ticket to notch her second career Grade I victory. Instead, it was a sweet ending for Spun Sugar, ridden for the first time by Mike Luzzi. “We got outrun in a tough loss,” said trainer Andrew Leggio, who has molded Happy Ticket into a nine-time stakes winner and champion for the Louisiana breeding program. “I don’t want to take anything away from the winner.” Happy Ticket, the 6-5
favor-1 ite, finished 6 / 2 lengths ahead of La Reason. It was another halflength farther back to Platinum Ballet in fourth.
Star Parade, making her third consecutive Apple Blossom appearance, was fifth. Hollywood Story finished sixth.
Spun Sugar paid $ 8. 60, $ 4 and $ 3. 20. Happy Ticket paid $ 3 and $ 2. 20. La Reason paid $ 5. 20.
Owned by industry giant Frank Stronach’s Stronach Stables, Spun Sugar has won 5 of 9 career starts and $ 764, 171.
She also won the Grade II Black-Eyed Susan last year and finished second in the Grade I Mother Goose and Grade I Alabama.
But Pletcher, the country’s most powerful trainer, brought Spun Sugar up to the spring’s biggest races for older fillies and mares off a single prep — a third-level allowance victory March 6 at Gulfstream Park in suburban Miami.
“Pretty good field,” said Luzzi, who has ridden regularly for Pletcher at this year’s Aqueduct meeting. “I think it was a legit field, and I think this filly proved herself as a Grade I horse. She ran against some tough company last year, you have to admit that. She put it together today.”
Luzzi said the race didn’t unfold the way he envisioned — early or late.
Luzzi said he believed he would be sitting just off Star Parade and jockey Martin Pedroza, but Spun Sugar broke sharply from post 6 and narrowly led Happy Ticket passing the finish line for the first time.
Star Parade moved up to engage Spun Sugar on the outside turning down the backstretch, while Happy Ticket and jockey Robby Albarado secured a position just behind the two frontrunners.
“I outbroke the field, so I did what comes best,” Luzzi said. “I think [Pedroza’s ] horse kind of got away with him a little bit down the backstretch, so I didn’t want to go yet. So I just cut my legs in there, and I had my eye on Robby on the outside.
“ I was just waiting to call on her.”
Star Parade held a half-length advantage over Spun Sugar after a half-mile in: 47. 62.
But Spun Sugar had plenty left in the tank, regaining a narrow lead from a tiring Star Parade after three-quarters in 1: 11. 97. At the same time, Happy Ticket was launching a three-wide bid for the lead turning for home.
Maybe 20 yards in front of the three-sixteenths pole, their impending stretch duel was threatened — by of all things — a blue balloon that had blown onto the track from the infield.
Fortunately, the balloon drifted harmlessly toward the middle of the track and clear of the six horses.
Oaklawn General Manager Eric Jackson said the balloon was believed to be from a yard sale being held near the racetrack. Fans at the track are not allowed to have balloons, Jackson said.
“I saw it [balloon ],” Luzzi said. “I don’t think she saw it.”
Happy Ticket, on the outside, stuck her head in front in midstretch. But Spun Sugar battled back to win a head-bobbing finish, a virtual replay of the Azeri.
“We got ahead at one point, but just got outfinished at the wire,” Albarado said.
Carrying 116 pounds, Spun Sugar covered the 1 1 / 16 miles over a fast track in a meet-best 1: 42. 59. Happy Ticket carried top weight of 119 pounds.
In Pletcher’s absence, Spun Sugar was saddled by trainer Ralph Nicks.
“She impressed a lot of people today, particularly since this was only her second race off a layoff,” Nicks said.
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