Words too clever for Stage Door Betty rivals

Farnsworth Stables’ TOOCLEVERFORWORDS (Arch) won for a third
consecutive time over Calder’s main track when notching Saturday’s
$100,000

Stage Door Betty H. (G3) at Calder, the first North American graded
stakes of the new year. Under Luis Saez, Toocleverforwords enjoyed a
ground-saving trip in fourth, swung out to make her rally in the
stretch, and drew off from longshot Joanie’s Catch to win by a length in
a time of 1:47 1/5 for 1 1/16 miles on the fast main track.

Toocleverforwords has run first or second in five straight Calder main track appearances (Jim Lisa Photos) The pace of the Stage Door Betty was surprisingly set by outsider Even Road (Stephen Got Even), who rattled off splits of :24 2/5 and :49 1/5 while being chased by Amazing (Greatness). A bit farther behind were the 18-1 Joanie’s Catch and the 3-1 second choice Toocleverforwords, who bided their time as Amazing bid for the lead around the far turn and gained the upper hand after six furlongs in 1:14 4/5. Turning for home, Amazing held a brief lead but was soon overtaken by Joanie’s Catch with Toocleverforwords hot on her heels. After a brief tussle, Toocleverforwords pulled away with Joanie’s Catch 4 1/4 lengths clear of the late-running Striking Dancer (Smart Strike), who nosed out early trailer Musical Romance (Concorde’s Tune) for the show. Amazing faded to fifth and was followed by Quiet Temper (Quiet American), Pink Palace (Empire Maker), Dynamic Barbie (Roman Ruler), Girl Can Rock (El Prado [Ire]), Even Road and 7-5 favorite and Grade 1 veteran Funny Moon (Malibu Moon).

Toocleverforwords returned $8.80, $4.80 and $3.80. Joanie’s Catch
gave back $13 and $8, while the 6-1 Striking Dancer returned $5.20. The
exotic payoffs were $138.80 (exacta), $970 (trifecta) and $6,511.80
(1-10-8-6 superfecta).

Initially trained by Shug McGaughey, for whom she won twice in nine attempts,
Toocleverforwords was purchased privately and transferred to trainer Marty
Wolfson last summer. After two seconds in a pair of off-the-turf allowances, the
five-year-old mare rallied for fourth in the grassy Ms. Brookski S. She has not
lost since, beating second-level allowance company by 6 1/2 lengths on the main
track as well as the Cinnamon Girl S. by 2 3/4 lengths over Amazing on October
16. With this first graded triumph, Toocleverforwords has now bankrolled
$201,308 from a line of 15-5-4-0.

“She hasn’t run for 2 1/2 months for no other reason than there just haven’t
been any dirt races for her and I didn’t want to back to turf,” Wolfson said.
“She’s by Arch and we watched what Blame did on dirt last year. We’ll look for
something at Gulfstream for her next. She’s a real good filly.”

Bred in Kentucky by Hermitage Farm and Walter Freeman, Toocleverforwords was
produced by the unraced Sherry Elizabeth (Dixieland Band) and sold for $120,000
as a Keeneland September yearling. Sherry Elizabeth, a half-sister to multiple
stakes winners Patsyprospect (Personal Flag) and Terreavigne (Belong to Me), is
also responsible for a juvenile filly by Macho Uno and the yearling colt Deb’s
Charlie (Orientate). This is the family of Grade 2 winner Star Gallant (My
Gallant).