Darley Stable’s homebred CRITICISM (GB) (Machiavellian) made her final career
start a winning one when defending her title in Sunday’s $150,000
Long
Island H. (G3) at Aqueduct. Dispatched as the 3-5 favorite, the Tom
Albertrani mare took command after the opening quarter-mile and proceeded to
outclass her rivals by 2 1/4 lengths. Criticism thereby became only the third
repeat winner of the Long Island, following champion grass horse Parka (1964-65)
(before the race was restricted to distaffers) and Hush Dear (1982-83).
Queen of Hearts (Thunder Gulch) shot to the early lead, with Criticism
pursuing in second through an initial quarter in :25 4/5 on the yielding turf.
The defending champion was eager to assert herself, however, and regular rider
Javier Castellano allowed her to stride forward. Criticism opened up a
comfortable advantage while clocking splits of :50, 1:17 4/5 and 1:44.
Bubbly Jane (Brz) (Yagli), who had reared up at the break, advanced to
challenge on the final turn through 1 1/4 miles in 2:10 1/5, but Criticism
shrugged her off and drew clear. The winner completed 1 1/2 miles in 2:34 4/5
and returned $3.30, $2.40 and $2.10.
“We were the only speed in the race,” Castellano observed. “The number 1
horse (Queen of Hearts) broke on top, and I wanted to just lay right off of her,
but my filly was feeling so good today. She wanted to run, and I didn’t want to
fight her. I just let her go on the lead and she really enjoyed the trip. The
pace was very slow and that’s why she won today. She had given me a good run the
whole race and turning for home I wanted to be patient, and make the job a
little easier.”
“I was very pleased with her race today,” Albertrani said. “It looked like
they were going a pretty honest pace over the course, and I was a little
concerned when I saw the first three-eighths of a mile because it looked like it
was a little cat-and-mouse there for awhile. I was glad Javier got her to settle
off the bridle — it looked like she was maybe on the bit too much the first
three-eighths or so, and then when he made the lead with her, it looked like he
was able to really start controlling the race and he had plenty left. She was a
pleasure to have in the barn, it’s nice having those kind around.”
Lemonette (Lemon Drop Kid) rallied for runner-up honors, a half-length ahead
of Bubbly Jane. The 7-1 Lemonette gave back $4.50 and $2.80 and ended the $13.20
exacta, and the 5-1 Bubbly Jane paid $2.60 and rounded out the $42.80 trifecta
(5-7-3). Dance Pass (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) raced evenly in fourth in her U.S.
debut, followed by Borrowing Base (Personal Flag) and Queen of Hearts. Tidal
Dance (Pleasant Tap) was withdrawn.
The five-year-old Criticism signs off with a record of 22-9-7-3 and $815,411
in earnings. The bay scored six stakes victories, five of them graded, and
placed in seven others. Criticism began her career in France, where she scored
her signature win in the La Coupe de Marseille and placed in a trio of stakes,
including the Prix Andre Baboin (Fr-G3). Sidelined for 10 months, she resurfaced
with Albertrani in New York last fall and finished a sharp second in the Athenia
H. (G3). Next time out, she posted an off-the-pace score in the Long Island.
Criticism developed into a dangerous front runner this season, capturing the
Sheepshead Bay S. (G2), La Prevoyante H. (G2) and The Very One S. (G3). She also
finished third in the Orchid S. (G3), a distant runner-up to Icon Project in the
off-the-turf New York S. (G3) in the mud, and a solid second to Pure Clan (Pure
Prize) in the Flower Bowl Invitational S. (G1) last time out.
Bred in England, Criticism was produced by Grade 2 winner Innuendo (Ire) (Caerleon),
who is also the dam of an unraced juvenile filly named Peacoat (Doyen), an
unnamed yearling filly by Selkirk and a weanling filly by Street Cry (Ire).
Criticism’s second dam is Infamy (Ire) (Shirley Heights), winner of the 1988
Canadian International (Can-G1).
This female family has produced Italian champion High Hawk (Ire) (Shirley
Heights); French highweight and Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) winner In the Wings (GB)
(Sadler’s Wells); One Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) queen Virginia Waters (Kingmambo);
English highweight and Epsom Derby (Eng-G1) winner High-Rise (Ire) (High Estate
[Ire]); and French/Irish highweight Dubawi (Dubai Millennium), hero of the Irish
Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) and now a promising young sire.