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Exhibit goes last to first to garner Senorita Prize

It wasn't the way Jim Cassidy drew it up on paper, but Prize Exhibit rolled to her first stakes win (Benoit Photo) DP Racing's Prize Exhibit (Showcasing) was a bit sluggish at the start of Saturday's $101,000 Senorita (G3), but more than compensated with a dynamic finishing burst at Santa Anita. Trained by James Cassidy and well handled by Santiago Gonzalez, the 9-1 chance went last to first and sparked a $21.80 win mutuel. While Prize Exhibit was slow to go, Long Hot Summer (Street Boss) was one smartly into stride and secured the early lead through an opening quarter in :22 4/5 on the firm turf. Avenge (War Front) prompted in second, and 4-5 favorite Curlin's Fox (Curlin) looked poised in third as Long Hot Summer continued to show the way through fractions of :47 1/5 and 1:11 3/5. Turning into the stretch, Curlin's Fox came up empty. Hopes of her emulating her dam, 2006 Senorita winner Foxysox, ebbed away, and Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith took care of the odds-on favorite, who retreated to last. But as Curlin's Fox was backpedaling, Prize Exhibit was circling the field. The British import readily forged clear down the lane and crossed the wire 2 1/4 lengths in front. By clocking 1:36 for the grassy mile, she registered her first career stakes victory.

"I told the jock to sit close, about third or fourth, and he didn't listen to me," Cassidy said. "I'm telling you the truth. After the race, I said to him, 'What happened to third or fourth?' He just looked at me and shrugged."

Long Hot Summer stubbornly held second by a length from Lutine Belle (Bellamy Road). Avenge retreated to sixth.

Smith later commented on Curlin's Fox.

"She's been disappointing going around two turns, both times," her rider said. "In her defense, she's bled a bit when she's tried to go long. I hope she didn't today, but at the same time if she did and it's not bad, then at least you have an excuse. She should be able to run a mile, she's so handy at 6 1/2 (furlongs)."

Prize Exhibit has now bankrolled $212,054 from her 14-4-1-1 line. Initially based with Jamie Osborne in her English homeland, the dark bay thrived on a busy, nine-race campaign as a juvenile. Her highlights included a maiden win over Lingfield's Polytrack and a novice score at Nottingham -- each by nine lengths -- as well as a near-miss third in the Oh So Sharp (Eng-G3) at Newmarket.

Accompanying then-stablemate Toast of New York (Thewayyouare) to the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita, Prize Exhibit was sold privately. She made her debut for her owners in the Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), where she closed for a respectable fourth behind unbeaten Lady Eli (Divine Park).

Prize Exhibit joined the Cassidy barn and opened her sophomore season with a January 25 allowance victory over this course and distance. A troubled but rallying fourth in the April 4 Providencia (G3), she filled that same spot in the May 3 Honeymoon (G2). She never gained ground when last of five off a slow pace in the May 30 Penn Oaks, but regained the winning thread here.

"At Penn National, she got back too far and there was no pace," Cassidy noted. "She came running but she had so much to do -- she just couldn't get there."

Bred by Mrs. R.F. Johnson Houghton in Great Britain, Prize Exhibit brought $46,914 as a Tattersalls October yearling. She is out of the stakes-placed Inchinor mare Roodeye, who is a half-sister to Group 1-placed Gallagher (Bahamian Bounty) and fellow stakes-placed performers Quick Wit (Oasis Dream) and Averoo (Averti). This is the further family of Group 1-winning sprinters Dead Certain (Absalom) and Astaire (Intense Focus), most recently third in last Saturday's Diamond Jubilee (Eng-G1) at Royal Ascot.

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