Taking full advantage of a track that was exceptionally kind to speed throughout the course of the program, Peter Blum's Society (f, 3, Gun Runner–Etiquette, by Tapit) built on a big-figure victory in the GIII Charles Town Oaks when last seen four weeks ago and ran them off their feet for a maiden Grade I victory in Saturday's $1-million Cotillion S. at Parx.
Drawn the outside gate in a field of nine, the homebred was clicked up as soon as the gates flew and crossed and cleared all inside traffic, getting the first couple of furlongs in :23 33 while chased by California raider Adare Manor (Uncle Mo), having her first start since a runner-up effort in the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. May 20, and 'TDN Rising Star' Green Up (Upstart), whose 100 Beyer Speed Figure for her victory in the local Cathryn Sophia S. Aug. 23 matched that earned by Society in West Virginia.
Moving right along down the backstretch while purposely kept far off the inside by Florent Geroux, Society was by the half-mile in :46.75, and with nothing making anything that resembled a serious bid from behind, was well clear after six furlongs in 1:10.93. Morning Matcha (Central Banker), a 45-1 outsider, skimmed the fence and made solid progress into the stretch, but it was all in vain, as she was never catching Society, who romped in by about six lengths. GI Longines Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath (Arrogate), who was touched out of favoritism by Green Up in the final few clicks, raced outside and in the clear down the backstretch, but was angled down towards the inside with about three furlongs to travel. Hard-ridden into the final quarter-mile, Secret Oath plugged on at one pace for third.
Society debuted for trainer Wayne Mackey at Keeneland last October and pulled clear late to graduate by a length at nearly 28-1, but was transferred this year to Steve Asmussen, who was one of the architects of Gun Runner's career. The chestnut was the 1 3/4-length winner of a sloppy allowance about 50 minutes after Secret Oath won the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks May 6 and added a front-running victory in the June 18 Monomoy Girl S., but stumbled at the start of the CCA Oaks and beat just one home in fourth. She was well-rated on the engine in the Charles Town Oaks by Tyler Gaffalione and had plenty left when the real running started, streaking home to score by 6 3/4 lengths.
Pedigree Notes:
With the victory, Society becomes already the sixth top-level scorer for Gun Runner and is one of the stallion's two graded winners out of a mare by Tapit, joining GII Adirondack S. victress Wicked Halo. Also bred on the Gun Runner/Tapit cross is SW Red Run, while Tapit's sire Pulpit is the broodmare sire of SW Optionality. Also bred on the cross is Echo Again, who achieved 'TDN Rising Star' status for a maiden romp at Saratoga Aug. 20.
Produced by a half-sister to GSW Pleasant Prince (Indy King) and hailing from the extended female family of Sovereign Award and Queen's Plate winner Holy Helena (Ghostzapper) and Midlantic-based sire Holy Boss (Street Boss), Society has a 2-year-old half-brother named Punctuality in training at Churchill Downs, a yearling half-sister Finesse (Street Sense) that sold to Windancer Farm for $725,0000 at the just-concluded Keeneland September sale and a foal half-brother named Valor (Omaha Beach). Etiquette was put back in foal to Gun Runner this past breeding season.
Saturday, Parx
COTILLION S.-GI, $1,000,000, Parx Racing, 9-24, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:42.94, ft.
1–SOCIETY, 122, f, 3, by Gun Runner
               1st Dam: Etiquette, by Tapit
               2nd Dam: Archduchess, by Pleasant Tap
               3rd Dam: My Marchesa, by Stately Don
  1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY);
T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Florent Geroux. $564,000. Lifetime
Record: 6-5-0-0, $1,109,775. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple
  Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
  Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Morning Matcha, 122, f, 3, by Central Banker
               1st Dam: Home Ice, by Iam the Iceman
               2nd Dam: Hit a Homer Honey, by Kennedy Road
               3rd Dam: Jo Jo Dimaggio, by Dimaggio
  1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($18,000 Ylg '20 EASOCT). O-LC Racing,
Cash is King LLC & Gary Barber; B-Crane Thoroughbred
Services LLC (PA); T-Robert E. Reid, Jr. $188,000.
3–Secret Oath, 126, f, 3, by Arrogate
               1st Dam: Absinthe Minded (MSW & MGISP, $607,747), by Quiet American
               2nd Dam: Rockford Peach, by Great Above
               3rd Dam: Strawberry Skyline, by Hatchet Man
O-Briland Farm; B-Briland Farm, Robert & Stacy Mitchell (KY);
T-D. Wayne Lukas. $94,000.
Margins: 5 3/4, 2, 6 1/4. Odds: 7.80, 48.90, 2.20.
Also Ran: Green Up, Shahama, Adare Manor, Goddess of Fire, Gerrymander, Beach Daze.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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