Juvenile Filly Kewpie Doll Sprints to Maiden Triumph Friday
Juvenile Filly Kewpie Doll Sprints to Maiden Triumph Friday
Fille d’Esprit Gives Lyapustina First Victory Since Aug. 8 Spill
Rainbow 6, Super Hi-5 Carryovers for Saturday’s Nine-Race Program
LAUREL, MD – Maxis Stable’s 2-year-old filly Kewpie Doll, third first time out in an out-of-town turf stakes earlier this month, returned to graduate with a flourish in her home track debut Friday at Laurel Park.
Ridden by Lauralea Glaser for trainer Cal Lynch, who have teamed up for five wins during the summer meet including another 2-year-old filly, Tiz Ferguson, Aug. 8, Kewpie Doll ($4.40) ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1:03.73 over a fast main track in a maiden special weight event originally carded for Laurel’s world-class turf course.
A daughter of Street Boss out of the Cat Thief mare Burning Faith, Kewpie Doll was a $7,500 bargain at Fasig-Tipton’s Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale last October. She had been training steadily at Laurel for her debut in the five-furlong Colleen Stakes Aug. 2 at Monmouth Park where she ran third, beaten three lengths, at odds of 11-1.
“We were delighted with the way she ran the first time. She ran into a tough bunch and she just ran green and didn’t exactly kick on like the way we expected her to kick on and the way she did today,” Lynch’s son and assistant, Anthony Lynch, said.
“First time out she was just very green. She’s only just starting to figure it out and she’s only getting better every single day in the morning, so we expected her to run well,” he added. “She proved herself in the afternoon, so we’ll go from here.”
Sent off as the 6-5 favorite, Kewpie Doll recovered after stumbling at the start and tracked in second as 45-1 long shot Kens Lady went the opening quarter-mile in 22.93 seconds. Kewpie Doll forged a short lead after going three-eighths in 45.78, dueled to the inside of Buckey’s Charm entering the lane and kicked clear to win by 1 ¼ lengths.
“She was a champ. She was very professional. I was just along for the ride,” Glaser said. “I wanted her to be clear early so that she didn’t have to really worry too much about traffic. She went out there and settled and she was ready to make her move and I just let her keep going. They caught up to us and when I asked her to kick on, she went.”
Buckey’s Charm was a clear second, 3 ¾ lengths ahead of Closertotheheart. Runaway Monet was fourth.
Crystal Pickett owned-and-trained Da Bozak ($12.40), bred in Maryland by Barak Farm, overcame a stumbled start to post a front-running half-length victory in Friday’s third race, a waiver maiden claimer for 2-year-olds. It was the third career start and first outside maiden special weight company for the Flatter gelding, who ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1:05.54.
Second-time starter Don’t Dare Me, the 6-5 favorite, finished second with Little Bold Bandit, a full brother to 11-time stakes-winning mare Anna’s Bandit, was third.
Fille d’Esprit Gives Lyapustina First Victory Since Aug. 8 Spill
Sweet Spirit Stables’ Fille d’Esprit proved to be an appropriate if unlikely winner of Friday’s opener at Laurel Park. The 4-year-old daughter of leading Maryland sire Great Notion, whose name means ‘spirit girl’ in French, was ridden by Tais Lyapustina in just her second mount back from an Aug. 8 spill.
Lyapustina, 28, settled Fille d’Esprit ($20.60) in fourth during the 5 ½-furlong claiming sprint for fillies and mares 3 and up, racing four wide on the turn and being floated another path out once straightened for home but coming with a steady run through the stretch to spring the upset at odds of 9-1.
“She’s a pretty honest filly,” Lyapustina said. “She seems like she’s getting better and better as she runs and learns. Thankfully, it worked out for us today.”
Lyapustina, a native of Bowie, Md. who didn’t turn pro until the summer of 2017, was unseated during Laurel’s second race Aug. 8 when her mount, 3-year-old filly My Lila, took a bad step in mid-stretch while on the lead and drifted inside. While they were able to avoid other horses, Lyapustina was thrown backward when My Lila bumped the inner rail.
Immediately tended to by the MedStar Health team led by Dr. Kelly Ryan, Lyapustina was taken by stretcher from the track but escaped serious injury. My Lila was euthanized.
“When it initially happened I thought I was going to be out for a month or something like that but it turned out about a week went by and I was good enough to get back on horses in the morning,” Lyapustina said. “I was still a little sore so I wanted to wait an extra week just to be 100 percent for the afternoon, which I think was the right decision.”
Lyapustina made her return Thursday at Laurel, finishing sixth on One Odd Story in the first race. Friday’s win was her eighth from 63 starts during the summer meet, which began May 30 following a 2 ½-month pause amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s very surreal. After having a spill, it’s always difficult to brush it off and put it behind you. I’m sure any rider would say the same,” Lyapustina said. “It was just nice to have horse under me today and to be able to get up for the win. She ran a heck of a race. I couldn’t be happier.”
Fille d’Esprit, trained to back-to-back wins by Christine Clagett, was the only horse claimed from the race for $10,000.
“I want to thank [assistant trainer] Brad McKinnon, Christy Clagett and the owners for giving me a chance back on her,” Lyapustina said. “It worked out perfectly today. They’re all hard working and they have a lot of faith in me, which I appreciate.”
Notes: Jockey Xavier Perez rode two winners for the second consecutive day Friday, aboard Runner Runner Indy ($4.80) in Race 2 and Bunting ($7.40) in Race 8. Jevian Toledo also doubled with Swirrlie Shirlie ($12) in Race 4 and Mayan Queen ($6.40) in Race 9 … The 20-cent Rainbow 6 went unsolved Friday, growing the carryover jackpot to $1,285.61 for Saturday’s nine-race card that begins at 12:40 p.m. Tickets with five of six winners Friday were each worth $78.32. There will also be a carryover of $673.76 in the $1 Super Hi-5 for Saturday’s opener.
