 Isabella Sings opened a clear advantage early and carried her speed to the wire Nov. 14 to secure the first graded stakes win of her career in the $200,000 Mrs. Revere Stakes (gr. IIT) on the Churchill Downs turf. Watch Video
Paco Lopez and Isabella Sings, sent off at 27-1, seized a two-length advantage through a half-mile in :48.07, then held off a stretch challenge from another longshot, 44-1 Rainha Da Bateria, for a half-length win. The daughter of Eskenderya enjoyed a clear advantage at each early point of call, cruising through a quarter-mile in :23.5 and six furlongs in 1:13.41, and had just enough left late under Lopez's smart handling.
Anthony Manganaro's Siena Farm homebred Isabella Sings won this year's Little Silver Stakes on the Monmouth Park turf and had previously placed in a pair of grade II stakes on the grass for trainer Todd Pletcher before nailing down her first graded score Saturday. Isabella Sings completed the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies in 1:44.74 on good turf.
"She had been training really well and coming into it in good shape and we felt like she had a fighting chance in what appeared to be a deep and competitive field," Pletcher said.
With the win Isabella Sings improved her career mark to 4-3-0 with earnings of $303,950. Isabella Sings also becomes the first graded stakes winner for second-crop sire Eskendereya, who boasts a total of four stakes winners.
"She can be kind of a headstrong filly and Paco was able to kind of coax her along a bit and get her to settle," Pletcher said. "The first quarter was solid, but then they were able to talk her out of it and get a kind second quarter. It looked like it was game on from there. I was hoping she could continue on."
While Isabella Sings was 8-1 on the morning-line, she was largely ignored at the windows and returned $56.60 to win, $28.60 to place, and $15.80 to show. Raina Da Bateria paid $30.60 to place and $14.80 to show. The $2 exacta on the top two returned $1,799.20. Devine Aida, who rallied for third, returned $6.60 to show.
Out of stakes-placed Isobel Baillie, Kentucky-bred Isabella Sings is a half sister to stakes winner Alaura Michele. |
