Ailalea outclasses rivals in Dogwood

Borel guided Ailalea to victory in the Dogwood (Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography)

Starlight Partners’ AILALEA (Pulpit) is a filly who knows what she likes, and
that is a one-turn mile. Zero-for-five in races that do not meet that criteria,
she advanced her record to three-for-three in one-turn miles on Saturday with a
victory in the $110,200
Dogwood
S. (G3) at Churchill Downs. The only graded stakes winner among the field of
eight three-year-old fillies, Ailalea was a prompt even-money favorite after
stalking the pace three-wide and taking over from the tiring speed in the
stretch. Under Calvin Borel, the Todd Pletcher trainee crossed the wire a length
in front and paid $4, $3 and $2.40.

Ailalea was never more than 1 1/2 lengths at any call behind the dueling pair
of Helen Belen (Five Star Day) and Visavis (Indian Charlie). The former was up
through splits of :22 2/5 and :45 1/5, but was already beginning to fade as
Visavis had a head up on Ailalea after six furlongs in 1:10. Ailalea drew off to
lead by two lengths with a furlong remaining, and the late close from early
trailer Tap Tap Tapping (Tapit) came too late as Ailalea crossed the wire in a
time of 1:35 4/5.

“She didn’t leave (the starting gate) that good but she brought me
there easy,” Borel said. “I then just took my time. I was very
confident. When I asked her she just went on about her business.”

Third in the Honeybee S. (G3) two back, Tap Tap Tapping was sent off at 31-1
after an inexplicably poor fifth in a first-level allowance in her previous
start. She gave back $18.20 and $8 while completing the $70.60 exacta. Three
lengths farther back was 6-1 third choice Fuzzy Britches (Pollard’s Vision), who
was 4 1/4 lengths up on the 9-1 Vertical Vision (Pollard’s Vision). Fuzzy
Britches was worth $4 and capped the $383.60 trifecta. The 4-1-3-6 superfecta
gave back $1,838.20. Next under the wire were Visavis, Helen Belen, Age of Humor
(Distorted Humor) and Bell’s Shoes (Mineshaft).