Hurricane Bertie

Lilah earned a first stakes score for both herself and jockey Rajiv Maragh (Matt Dean/Equi-Photo)

Hobeau Farm’s LILAH (Defrere) overtook early pacesetter Molta Vita (Carson
City) and powered home a convincing three-length winner of the $100,000
Hurricane
Bertie H. (G3) at Gulfstream on Sunday. The Allen Jerkens charge broke well and
sat second early before asserting herself, reaching a quarter-mile in :22 1/5
and making splits of :44 3/5, 1:08 4/5 and 1:15 2/5 for the 6 1/2-furlong affair.
Ridden by Rajiv Maragh, who captured his initial graded race, the eight-year-old mare paid $14, $7.60 and $3 while topping $1 exotics of
$25.70 (exacta), $87 (trifecta) and $126.90 (4-2-3-5 superfecta) at 6-1.

Forty Moves (Gold Fever) moved into the second spot turning for home and
stayed there to the wire, paying $4.40 and $2.80 at nearly 3-1. Molto Vita, another 1
3/4 lengths back, stayed on
from the inside to nab third, good for $2.60 at 9-5. The 8-5 favorite, Bohemian
Lady (Carson City), was next and followed by Expect An Angel (Valid Expectations)
and Brunilda (Arg) (Mutakddim).

The ageless Lilah earned her third consecutive win over the Gulfstream
surface and boosted her bankroll to $400,655. The dark bay has a career line
that reads 31-11-9-2, which includes five local tallies.