Emerging from her stall at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans, La., Stonestreet Stables' Clairiere made her 4-year-old debut in Wednesday's allowance optional claiming feature and the 1 1/16-mile voyage ended with a 6 ½-length victory. Jockey Joel Rosario came to town for a front-row seat on this impressive filly, his first trip around the track aboard the 2021 Rachel Alexandra (G2) and Cotillion (G1) winner.
“It looked like it was easy for her,” Rosario said. “When I got to the eighth pole she got really quick to the horse in front of her. I just wanted to be there and come with the run, which she did. I am very excited and happy to be on her.”
Closing from last in the field of six, the Steve Asmussen-trained 1-10 favorite made patient strides as Marylou Whitney Stables' homebred Super Quick, the 6-1 second choice trained by Norm Casse and ridden by Joe Talamo, kept her backers on the edge of their seats leading through the first two sharp calls of 23.71 and 46.90. At the quarter-pole eventual second-place finisher, Tizafeelin sent out by Tom Amoss, headed Super Quick who faded to finish fifth, while Clairiere rallied off heels and began picking off foes to build a 1 ½-length lead at the furlong pole. Clairiere glided away and validated her fanfare in 1:43.21.
“That was a good place to get started,” said Scott Blasi, assistant trainer on the grounds for Steve Asmussen. “She got to walk out of her own stall, walk over here, and get a nice start to her year. We're looking forward to big things from her throughout the rest of the year. No more easy spots after today. It's great to have her back.”
Oaklawn's Apple Blossom (G1) in April is circled as a potential next start for the royally bred daughter of Curlin out of the multiple graded stakes-winning mare Cavorting. Beaten just three-quarters of a length by longshot March Lorraine in the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar on Nov. 6, a year older, wiser, stronger, and in the right hands, Clairiere could be in line for a monster campaign.
“In all honesty, all we need to do is be a length better than we were last year,” Asmussen said prior to Wednesday's race. “She couldn't be giving us any more confidence with the way she's training. It's worked out really well for Stonestreet, having two nice fillies in Pauline's Pearl and Clairiere. With an ideal spot to start Clairiere in a conditioned allowance race, we will see which one of the two gets to run in the Apple Blossom.”
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