Richard Rigney's Coppelia sat just off the right hip of pacesetter Palm Cottage, took the lead leaving the final turn, and kicked clear to win Sunday's $300,000 Dream Supreme, a listed stakes at Churchill Downs, by 2 ¾ lengths over Joyful Cadence. Multiple graded stakes winner Sconsin, in her final career race, finished third.
Ridden by Martin Garcia for trainer Phil Bauer, Coppelia ran six furlongs over a fast track in 1:09.90 and earned her first stakes win.
“We wanted to see how she could handle things against the big girls and she proved she belongs right with them,” Bauer said. “This is huge for this filly being only 3-years-old and being black type. She's always trained well and has really put things together recently.”
Coppelia broke sharply from the gate but Palm Cottage quickly took over and led the field of six fillies and mares down the backstretch through a first quarter mile in :21.94. When Coppelia took command at the top of the stretch, she clocked a half mile in :45.69 as Joyful Cadence, the slight 2-1 favorite, and Sconsin, also at 2-1, loomed boldly from the outside. Coppelia, however, spurted clear in the stretch when she was asked for her best run by Garcia and drew away for the victory.
“We sat a great trip near the lead and she just keeps getting better,” Garcia said. “I think she's only going to get better next year.”
The win was worth $183,450 and improved Coppelia's career earnings to $390,201 with a record of 4-2-0 in 14 starts.
Prior to the Dream Supreme, Coppelia was a four-length winner of a second-level allowance at Keeneland on Oct. 26.
Coppelia returned $6.90 as the 2-1 third betting choice. Joyful Cadence, under Rey Gutierrez, finished 5 1/2 lengths in front of third-place finisher Sconsin, with Tyler Gaffalione up. Club Car, Sharp Hero, and Palm Cottage completed the order of finish.
Coppelia is a 4-year-old daughter of Not This Time out of the Mineshaft mare Crespano and was bred in Kentucky by Gabriel Duigan and Crosshaven Bloodstock.
Sconsin, a winner in five of her 12 starts at Churchill Downs, earned $29,750 for her third-place finish and concluded her career with a record of 21-6-5-3—$1,020,287. She has a date to be bred to 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner.
“She's headed to be a mom and I know she'll be a great mom,” said Sconsin's trainer, Greg Foley. “I'll miss her a lot at the barn. She's a tremendous mare and has given us so many thrills. I can't wait to train her babies. I can tell you between her and Gun Runner her first one should be really good looking.”
The Dream Supreme is named after the six-time graded stakes winner who won the Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs in 2001. Trained by Bill Mott, Dream Supreme won two Grade I sprints in her 16-race career and earned $1,007,680 between 1999-2001.
The post ‘We Wanted To See How She Could Handle Things Against The Big Girls’: Coppelia Gets First Stakes Win In Dream Supreme, Sconsin Third In Career Finale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
