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Avow Seizes Lead, Victory in Filly and Mare Dirt Mile
Original article written by Marzy Dotes posted 14 years 2 weeks agoAvow powered from the back of the pack in the homestretch to win the $1 million Grade I Steward’s Cup Filly and Mare Dirt Mile by a half length over Our Dreamer. The Kentucky bred filly covered the mile on the dirt oval at New Orleans Park in a tidy 1:37.18. After cooling off, both horses ended their racing careers and headed off for dates with Fire Added Starter.
The winning filly bred and owned by Peihe Sun is by stakes winning Declare or Desist and out of South American Champion Older Mare Snow Storm Stardom. She started off her career with four straight wins in her juvenile season including wins in the Chicago Lassie and the Lexington Debutante. As a three year old, Avow found the racing scene a bit tougher but still won stakes like the Canadian Oaks and placed highly in other stakes including second in the Northern Kentucky Oaks and third in the Long Island Oaks. She finished fourth last year in the Steward’s Cup Filly and Mare Dirt Mile finishing behind horses that she would face in this year’s rendition.
As a four year old, she finished second in the Rosebed Handicap and then won her next four starts including the Seattle Distaff and the Palace of Sand Stakes which set her up as a top contender in this year’s dirt mile race.
Avow didn’t disappoint and broke from the starting gate in excellent position as her jockey Oliver Shepard guided her into the seventh place spot while Desert Solitaire and Worth a Fortune went to set the pace. In the backstretch, Avow kept her cool staying near the back of the pack while Sky View and Cor Cordium went up to join the front group of horses. As they turned for home, Desert Storm still had a two length lead over Cor Cordium but soon enough, Avow fired up her turbines from the back of the pack and charged to challenge for the lead while One Dreamer followed on her heels. Both horses passed the front runners and then One Dreamer tried to whittle down Avow’s lead but the latter horse prevailed at the wire. One Dreamer finished a strong finish by ¼ length over Worth a Fortune.
With that win, Avow sealed herself as one of the top female dirt milers and then called it a career, heading off to the breeding shed where she indeed produced an eye catching son of Fire Added Starter, Trust in Grace.