Sunday, October 02, 2011

Grace Hall easily takes Blue Hen Stakes Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Next

Wilmington, Del., October 1, 2011 — After posting an impressive win in the Grade I Spinaway, Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables’ and The Elkstone Group’s Grace Hall followed with an easy victory in the $75,000 Blue Hen Stakes at Delaware Park today. The locally-stabled daughter of Empire Maker will make her next start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Churchill Downs on November 4th.

With the current Delaware Park jockey Joseph Rocco Jr. aboard, the Kentucky-bred conditioned by locally-based trainer Anthony Dutrow scored a 5 ¾-length triumph and returned $2.80 as the favorite in the field of four. She covered the mile and seventy yards in 1:42.36 over a fast main track to raise her record to three-for-three with earnings of $219,000.


“I have to be happy right now,” said winning trainer Anthony Dutrow. “It all went well and as expected. I am not seeing anything that alarms me or concerns me. It looked relatively easy for her. I am really happy she has gained the two-turn experience today. She still has a lot to prove just like the rest of them, but I am feeling very good that she is well prepared going into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.”

Glinda the Good, with Michael Luzzi, finished second ¾-lengths in front of Always Here Too, with Javier Santiago, in third.

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