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Irish Jasper scores in Victory Ride

Irish Jasper pulled away to record her third straight stakes win in the Victory Ride (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography) Trainer Derek Ryan's Irish Jasper (First Defence) ran her current win streak to three straight when taking Saturday's $147,000 Victory Ride S. (G3) at Belmont Park by three lengths. Jockey Javier Castellano guided the sophomore miss, who easily held the late-charging, even-money favorite Enchanting Lady (Tale of the Cat) to finish 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16 3/5 on the fast main track. Super Saks (Sky Mesa) set the pace through splits of :22 and :45 3/5 while tracked by Kathballu (Bluegrass Cat) to her outside and Promise Me Silver (Silver City) just behind on the rail. Irish Jasper, meanwhile, was running in the back of the pack before making her move nearing the turn. The dark bay miss swung widest of all heading into the turn and circled the entire field. She easily took over in the lane and extended her margin with every step. Enchanting Lady, who had fallen to last around the turn, suddenly kicked into gear and was coming fast down the center of the track, but ran out of room late as Irish Jasper proved best. "Today we were very fortunate," Castellano said. "She broke well out of the gate and put me in a good spot. There was a lot of speed in the race. I learned from the first time I rode her and it paid off today. Phenomenal filly."

Ryan indicated that Irish Jasper is now headed to the $500,000 Test S. (G1) going seven furlongs at Saratoga on August 8.

"I bought her off a friend of mine last year in Ocala, and it worked out great," he stated. "I think she's the best three-year-old filly in the country.

"The seven-eighths is going to be perfect for the Test; that's the next big thing for her. We'll see where we are after that.

Sent off the near 5-1 fourth choice in the six-horse field, Irish Jasper paid $11.80 for the win. Enchanting Lady had 2 3/4 lengths to spare on Kathballu, who just got her head in front of Miss Ella (Exchange Rate) for third. Promise Me Silver, who appeared to nearly run up on Super Saks' heels at one point, finished fifth, just up on that early pacesetter.

Irish Jasper is now three-for-three since Ryan took the blinkers off for the April 26 Belle Harbor S. at Aqueduct. The three-year-old filly took the Miss Preakness S. (G3) next out in her most recent start, and also boasts a win from last year's Gasparilla S. Her resume now stands at 9-6-0-1 and she's banked $312,800 lifetime.

Bred in Kentucky by Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Courteny Sr., Irish Jasper sold for $12,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall yearling. She is the first registered stakes winner out of Irish Connection (Mr. Greeley), who is a half-sister to a pair of stakes-place winners in Dicey Girl (Yonaguska) and Gallows (Red Ransom).

Irish Jasper's third dam is Grade 2-placed stakes heroine Now Dance (Sovereign Dancer), who produced stakes scorers Touchdown (Pleasant Tap), Timetobewild (Time for a Change) and Danceroftherealm (King of Kings).

Irish Jasper's fifth dam is Argentinean champion Taba (Table Play), who is probably best known for foaling 1986 champion older horse Turkoman (Alydar).

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