Stamping herself has perhaps the best older mare on Polytrack in North
America, Michael Deegan’s PACHATTACK (Pulpit) turned in another tour de force
over the synthetic surface in Saturday’s $100,000
Arlington Matron S. (G3). A dominating 5 3/4-length winner of the Maple Leaf
S. at Woodbine when first trying Polytrack on the continent last November,
Pachattack won by six lengths this time and completed nine furlongs in 1:49 3/5.
The 3-1 second choice, she paid $8.40, $5.60 and $4.40.
Under Florent Geroux, a late substitute for the injured Junior Alvarado,
Pachattack enjoyed a ground-saving journey in midpack to the backstretch when
she began her advance. After splitting foes entering the far turn, Pachattack
seized the lead after three-quarters in 1:13 and opened up on her eight rivals
under minimal urging.
“She did it (make the lead) on her own,” Geroux said. “I pushed her just a
little bit because I didn’t want to get trapped behind horses that had
absolutely no chance. I think I had the best (mare) in the race so I wanted to
go faster. These horses from Europe can go all day.”
It was up
to a couple longshot closers to make it interesting for runner-up honors. In
that race within the race, the 10-1 La Gran Bailadora (Afleet Alex) came from last
to edge the 48-1 Home’s the Best (Western Playboy) by three parts of a length,
with 2-1 favorite Upperline (Maria’s Mon) a half-length farther behind in
fourth.
The exotic payoffs were $81.40 (exacta), $2,055.60 (trifecta) and $16,156
(4-3-7-9 superfecta). Following Upperline across the finish line were It’s Tea
Time (Dynaformer), Milwaukee Appeal (Milwaukee Brew), Satans Quick Chick (Sky
Mesa), Santina Dond (El Prado [Ire]), who set early splits of :24 3/5 and :49,
and She’s All In (Include). Spring Party (Smart Strike) was scratched.
A two-time listed stakes winner on turf in England last summer, the Gerard
Butler-trained Pachattack
made her first invasion of North America for such lucrative grass events as the
Beverly D. S. (G1) and E.P. Taylor S. (Can-G1). After running sixth and fifth,
respectively, in those two races, the chestnut moved to Woodbine’s main track
for the 1 1/4-mile Maple Leaf, which she won n wire-to-wire fashion. Sent back
to England for a brief spring campaign this year, the five-year-old finished
third to males in the Winter Derby (Eng-G3) over Polytrack before finishing far
back in the grassy Dahlia S. (Eng-G3) at Newmarket.
Bred in Kentucky by Dapple Broodmares 2004, Pachattack was sold as a yearling
for $270,000 at Keeneland September. Produced by the English stakes-placed El
Laoob (Red Ransom), she’s a half-sister to multiple stakes winner La Mina
(Mineshaft) and the unraced juvenile filly Absolute Crackers (Giant’s Causeway). This
family is responsible for French Group 3 winner Turning Wheel (Seeking the
Gold).