Three Diamonds Farm's Army Wife repelled a challenge from runner-up Crazy Beautiful and earned her first victory of the year in the $250,000 Lady Jacqueline Stakes on the Ohio Derby (G3) undercard Saturday at JACK Thistledown.
With Tyler Gaffalione riding for trainer Mike Maker, Army Wife overcame a somewhat troubled start as she was one of several horses bounced around after Jlo Can Dance bore in badly when the gates opened.
Soon settled by Gaffalione, Army Wife prompted the pace set by Maliced into the far turn, then took over to lead by a half-length in early stretch.
Crazy Beautiful, a multiple graded stakes winner also caught in the chain reaction bouncing at the start, raced in fourth, then fifth, before advancing into third nearing the far turn. With Army Wife in her sights, she moved into second, 1 ½ lengths behind the leader, but could get no closer than three-quarters of a length back at the finish line.
Army Wife finished the 1 1/8 miles for fillies and mares in 1:50.80 on a fast track. She returned $4.40 as the 6-5 favorite in the eight-horse field.
She's Pure Silver, sent off at 54-1, rallied from sixth while never far back and finished third, 5 ¼ lengths behind Crazy Beautiful. The race was marred when Grade 1 winner Maracuja, who raced in last place under Kendrick Carmouche at the half-mile mark, was eased to the wire after sustaining an injury to her left foreleg in deep stretch and vanned off.
Army Wife, a 4-year-old Declaration of War filly, posted her third stakes triumph, following back-to-back victories last year in the Black-Eyed Susan (G2) and Iowa Oaks (G3). Overall, she has a 5-1-5 record from 14 lifetime starts and purse earnings of $786,272.
Bred in Kentucky by J. D. Stuart and AR Enterprises & Sales from the Arch mare Tread, Army Wife was a $190,000 purchase by Ryder Finney, agent, at the 2020 OBS Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training.
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