5/22/11
Last updated: 5/21/11 8:36 PM
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No Explaining got the jump on Dyna Waltz and Desert Sage
(Harold Roth/Horsephotos.com) |
Under a well-crafted ride by John Velazquez, Harlequin Ranches’ NO EXPLAINING
(Ire) (Azamour [Ire]) employed a stalk-and-pounce trip to earn her first stakes
victory in Saturday’s $100,000
Gallorette H. (G3) at Pimlico. The Roger Attfield trainee carried just 115
pounds, 10 fewer than returning Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) heroine and
3-2 favorite Shared Account (Pleasantly Perfect), who failed to land a blow in
fourth.
No Explaining sat in third as longshot My Sweet Nenana (Jazz Club) carved out
tepid splits of :24 1/5, :49 1/5 and 1:15 on the good turf course. Another
outsider, Baltimore Belle (Bowman’s Band), stalked in second, while No
Explaining was settled ahead of all of her most dangerous rivals. That early
placement was likely the key to victory. Dyna Waltz (GB) (Dynaformer), last
early, expended plenty of energy to advance into the far turn, but No Explaining
already had the leaders in her sights.
Leaving the far turn, No Explaining ranged up to confront the leader and
drove to the fore. Although Dyna Waltz was just a half-length away along the
inside, she could not sustain her momentum as No Explaining edged clear. Desert
Sage (GB) (Selkirk) hit her best stride in deep stretch, but it was too late to
make up sufficient ground. She caught Dyna Waltz to force a dead-heat for
second, one length behind the winner.
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“It was a perfect trip,” Velazquez recapped. “There were a couple of speedy
horses in there and I had to bide my time thinking that the good horses are
coming from behind anyway. At the quarter pole, I put her in the clear and she
put in a good fight. She was much better today than when I rode her last year
definitely. She was more professional — more willing to do it and handled the
track much better.”
No Explaining negotiated 1 1/16 miles in 1:46 3/5 and returned $8.80, $3.60
and $3 as the 3-1 third choice in the eight-distaffer field. Desert Sage and
Dyna Waltz crossed the wire 4 1/2 lengths ahead of Shared Account, who garnered
fourth in a photo-finish with Baltimore Belle. My Sweet Nenana, Joharmony (Johar)
and Theda’s Smile (Ops Smile) rounded out the order of finish.
“I was right behind the winner on the backside,” Julien Leparoux said of his
view aboard Desert Sage. “I felt like she was going to give me a good kick, but
she actually just has a nice stride. The winner just got away from us today.
Next time, I’ll keep her closer.”
Graham Motion, the trainer of Shared Account who would later give Velazquez a
leg up on Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Animal Kingdom (Leroidesanimaux [Brz]) in
the Preakness (G1), was not downcast by his mare’s effort.
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No Explaining is the latest stakes-winning turf distaffer from the Roger Attfield barn
(Melissa Wirth/Horsephotos.com) |
“She was giving everybody 10 pounds, so we knew we were up against it,”
Motion said. “We were worried about it, but unfortunately we didn’t have another
option. If we had, I probably would have taken it. This is all about getting her
started. She’s going to go a mile and a quarter the rest of the way and be on
our way to another good year. We’re going to run her in New York in her next
start in about a month. She’s coming along great.”
With this breakthrough win, No Explaining improved her scorecard to 11-5-0-4,
$225,295. The bay broke her maiden at Nottingham third time out as a juvenile,
and did not race again until her victorious North American debut last May. The
consistent performer went on to place in four stakes during her sophomore
campaign — the Lake George S. (G2), Valley View S. (G3), Ontario Colleen S. and
Alywow S. No Explaining captured her 2011 bow in an April 16 Keeneland
allowance, and she is now two-for-two as a four-year-old.
Bred by P.Byrne, Eimear Mulhern and B. Grassick in the Emerald Isle, No
Explaining sold for $56,312 as a yearling at Goffs. She is out of the winning
Green Desert mare Claustra, who is herself a half-sister to German highweight
older sprinter Wessam Prince (Soviet Star), Grade 2 winner Bayamo (Ire) (Valanour
[Ire]), and the dams of Brazilian Group 2 victors Uvento (Quintus Ferus) and
Acteon Man (Be My Chief) and Italian Group 3 scorer Snake Snap (GB) (Shareef
Dancer).
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No Explaining hails from the family of St Leger (Eng-G1) star and English and
Italian highweight Silver Patriarch (Saddlers’ Hall [Ire]); Ascot Gold Cup
(Eng-G1) hero and highweight stayer Papineau (Singspiel [Ire]); Group 3-winning
stayer My Patriarch (Be My Guest); and last year’s French highweight
two-year-old colt Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj), who suffered his first loss when a
poor-draw fifth in last Sunday’s French Two Thousand Guineas (Fr-G1).
No Explaining’s fourth dam is Broodmare of the Year Key Bridge (*Princequillo),
the dam of Hall of Famer Fort Marcy (*Amerigo) and champion and influential sire
Key to the Mint (Graustark).
