Inthemidstofbiz made her graded stakes debut a winning one on Saturday at Keeneland Race Course, with a 13-1 upset of the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes. The victory also ensured her next graded stakes start, earning a “Win and You're In” berth for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.
The 4-year-old Fed Biz filly was part of a large, tight group of runners to vie for the lead out of the gate, with outside-breaking runner Lady's Island assuming command over Palace Avenger, with Inthemidstofbiz tracking in third. Lady's Island set the opening quarter in :22.12 seconds, while keeping her two closest trackers at bay. However, jockey Martin Garcia started to ask Inthemidstofbiz for some run on the outside, and the filly caught the leader in the turn and ran past her.
A spent Lady's Island gave way in the middle of an emerging battle between Inthemidstofbiz and Palace Avenger, following a half in :45.17 seconds. The challenger was game for about a sixteenth of a mile, but ultimately relented to Inthemidstofbiz with plenty of stretch to go, and the winner drew off to prevail by three lengths.
A late move from post time favorite Sneaking Out earned her a runner-up finish, a half-length ahead Palace Avenger.
Inthemidstofbiz won the six-furlong race in 1:09.84 over a fast main track, and she paid $28.20 to win. She was trained by Cipriano Contreras, who earned his second career graded stakes victory in the Thoroughbred Club of America. His first came in the G3 Hanshin Cup Stakes in 2018 with Matrooh. The winning owners were Contreras Stable and Andrew Knapczyk.
Inthemidstofbiz was bred in Kentucky by J D Stuart and Mueller Farms, Inc., out of the stakes-winning Closing Argument mare Midst.
To view the race's chart, click here.
Quotes from the $200,000 Thoroughbred Club of America, courtesy of the Keeneland notes team
Cipriano Contreras (winning trainer of Inthemidstofbiz)
“We got lucky today. She's getting better and better. We claimed this filly (for $20,000 at Keeneland during the 2019 Fall Meet) and ran her for (a $16,000 claiming price) at Oaklawn. She started running better, and we took a shot. It worked out.”
Martin Garcia (winning rider)
“She's a great filly. I had a really good position. When I asked her to go, she made it really easy.”
Umberto Rispoli (rider of runner-up and beaten favorite Sneaking Out.
“My trip was OK. She is the kind of filly who can have the lead if there is no one faster, but that was not the case today. I believe if she had drawn an outside (post position), the race definitely would have changed. She finished off pretty strong and I am pretty sure if I had been on the outside, the race (outcome) would be different. Post 1 is always a gamble. Outside she could dominate the other horses. Inside she was not happy.”
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