Sippin Pretty runs down Goodall to win G3 Victory Ride

Randall Bloch, Six Column Stables, Mike Davis and Gene Rice’s Sippin Pretty ran down the favored Goodall to upset Friday’s Grade 3, $225,000 Victory Ride, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Ian Wilkes, the Yaupon dark bay went off at odds of 26-1 after a last-out off-the-pace sixth, with Brian Hernandez, Jr. up, in the seven-furlong Grade 2 Eight Belles on May 1 at Churchill Downs. She entered that spot from a second-out graduation in March at Gulfstream Park and a dominant 5 3/4-length optional claiming score in April at Keeneland, both with more forwardly-placed trips over six furlongs. 

On Friday, Sippin Pretty returned to winning form under Ricardo Santana, Jr. to lead a Yaupon-sired exacta over Goodall. 

“The only thing I asked him was to break good. If she was on the lead, that's fine - if she's sitting second or third - I wanted her in the race, that's her style. She's naturally quick,” said Wilkes, who also sent out A Fine Chardonnay to finish third at odds of 19-1. 

Sippin Pretty exited the inside post alertly and settled into a ground-saving fourth position to the inside of Goodall, who exited the outermost post 10. That pair stalked just behind Iron Orchard and the pace-pressing Mythical –who broke through the gate prior to the start and was reloaded– as the opening quarter-mile went in 22.13 seconds over the fast main track. 

“I’m going to be honest, I asked Brian – he rode her last time, and we don’t know if she doesn’t like the kickback or was intimidated on the inside but she broke a little step slow [last out in the Eight Belles] and sits in there, she never took the bridle,” Santana, Jr. said. “Ian said, ‘if you break, she’s going to do the rest,' and she did it."

Sippin Pretty maintained her ground-saving forward position rounding the turn as jockey Flavien Prat navigated Goodall to just outside of Grade 1-winner Iron Orchard and Mythical. 

“She was right behind the two leaders,” Wilkes said. “She was sitting third or fourth, so I was very happy where she was right there." 

Goodall took command following the half-mile in 45.79, as Santana, Jr. tipped Sippin Pretty out in pursuit of the new leader while the pacesetters tired. Goodall held a two-length advantage with one furlong to run, but after three-quarters in 1:11.02, Sippin Pretty caught her and pushed by, winning by 1 1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:17.59. 

A Fine Chardonnay made a notable run from being the distant trailer early to finish third, 3 1/4 lengths behind Goodall, with Sneaky Good landing fourth. Carmel Coast, Peach Tie, Tessellate, Mythical, Iron Orchard, and dual Grade 1-winner Tommy Jo, who was slow away from the gate as she made her first start since October, rounded out the order of finish. 

“We are pretty stoked and pretty excited,” said winning co-owner Randy Bloch. “I was just screaming, saying ‘let’s go!’ She did fire today and we’re really excited… Ian picked her out at the sale. Ian is family and we’ve been training with him for almost 25 years.”

Wilkes said Sippin Pretty will target the seven-furlong Grade 1, $500,000 Test presented by Ticketmaster on August 8 at Saratoga.

"Sippin Pretty, definitely – 100 percent,” Wilkes said. “The other filly, I'll talk to the owners and see what they want to do – I'll evaluate, but most likely we come back here.

“I'm very proud of her,” Wilkes added of the late-running A Fine Chardonnay. “For a moment, I thought she was going to catch both of them the way she started making that run. She made a very decisive move."

Prat said the Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen-trained Goodall, who entered from a local win in the six-furlong Jersey Girl on June 4, was game in defeat. 

“I thought the pace wasn’t crazy fast and I was able to get first run. She ran a good race, she just got caught,” Prat said. “She gave me a good run turning for home, and I thought, honestly, she ran her race, the other horse just ran me down.”

Bred in Kentucky by Clarkland Farm, Sippin Pretty, a $75,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, is a half-sister to stakes-placed Mr Bob out of the multiple stakes-winning Tizway mare Tiz Imaginary. She banked $123,750 in victory while improving her record to 5-3-1-0 and returning $55.18 for a $2 win bet. 

Live racing resumes Saturday at Saratoga with an 11-race card, featuring the Grade 2, $250,000 Caress in Race 5 and the Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green presented by Emerald Ecovations in Race 10. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live presents daily coverage and analysis of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule/.

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