Monday, August 10, 2009

QUEEN OF HEARTS PREVAILS IN SIGNATURE STALLIONS STAKES

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – When Queen of Hearts broke her maiden going 1 1/8th miles at Belmont Park on July 22, trainer Jimmy Jerkens suspected from the way the filly galloped out that she wanted to go longer.

On Monday, the 4-year-old filly owned by Susan Moore and M and M Thoroughbred Partners got her chance in the 1½-mile Signature Stallions Series stakes, formerly the Waya. Positioned well behind front-running Zaskar through most of the race, Queen of Hearts closed an eight-length gap and dueled with the pacesetter through the stretch to prevail by a nose at the wire in the $73,500 turf contest at Saratoga Race Course.


“You never know how a mile and half race will go,” Jerkens said. “I didn’t see her being any further back than she was, but there wasn’t any speed in there at all. She broke her maiden the last time and she galloped out way, way down the backstretch. [After that] we were looking to try her in any kind of race going long. She’s always been game and she’s got some guts, but we’ve finally got her to where she’s reaching her potential, which is nice to see.”

Queen of Hearts, now 2-1-1 from six lifetime starts, paid $17.60 for a $2 win bet and earned $44,100 to more than double her lifetime earnings to $86,012. Jerkens said he had not yet picked out her next start.