First Dude Filly Finishes Fast in Raven Run

[Wandering Eyes]

Having produced her best form over synthetic surfaces, Conrad Farm’s SHAMROCK ROSE (f, 3, First Dude–Slew’s Quality, by Elusive Quality) showed she could reproduce those efforts over a conventional dirt surface with a handy victory in the GII Lexus Raven Run S. at Keeneland. Dismissed at odds of 18-1 despite daylight victories in her last two appearances in the Malvern Rose S. at Presque Isle Downs and in the La Lorgnette S. at Woodbine, the Pennsylvania-bred bay settled in midfield and about three paths off the inside as Blamed (Blame) galloped them along comfortably up front. Four deep around the turn, Shamrock Rose was into fourth position at the three-eighths and was poised to strike four wide into the lane. Roused sharply by the in-form Tyler Gaffalione, she managed to sustain her rally that carried her past the pacesetter inside the sixteenth pole and on to an ultimately comfortable victory. Blamed held for second, while Take Charge Paula (Take Charge Indy) ran a remarkable race to finish third. Racing in the second half of the field early, she appeared to check hard off the heels of Bronx Beauty (Liaison) at the five-furlong pole and dropped back several spots. But Florent Geroux never stopped riding and the duo rallied down the center of the track for an improbably Grade II-placing. Shamrock Rose is the fourth graded winner for Double Diamond’s First Dude and marks the 10th graded winner of the season and second of the meet for Gaffalione. Lifetime Record: 9-4-2-1. O-Conrad Farms; B-Best A Luck Farm (PA); T-Mark Casse.

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