9/4/11
Last updated: 9/3/11 6:58 PM
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Quiet Giant would not be silenced in the Molly Pitcher
(Bill Denver/Equi-Photo) |
QUIET GIANT (Giant’s Causeway) built upon her 6 3/4-length romp in
the July 31 Lady’s Secret S. at Monmouth Park with another easy win on
Saturday, this time in the rescheduled $252,500
Molly Pitcher S. (G2). The Todd Pletcher trainee earned her first
graded victory in the 1 1/16-mile, fast track contest when drawing off
in the lane to be five lengths clear on the line under jockey Julien
Leparoux.
Quiet Giant kept the pressure on pacesetter Debonair Darling
(Formal Dinner) through splits of :23 3/5 and :47 2/5 while running on
the outside. The bay lass began drawing even and then effortlessly
scooted past her rival nearing the turn, grabbing command through six
furlongs in 1:11 4/5. From there it was merely a question of how much
she would win by, as the Edward P. Evans homebred sailed under the wire an easy
winner as the 4-5 favorite.
“She broke very sharply today and got us into the race early,”
Leparoux said. “She was so sharp today. After getting us involved in the
race early, she just did everything on her own. Every time you ask her,
she gives you the answer.”
Quiet Giant gave back $3.80, $2.40 and $2.20 for moving her career line to
12-7-2-0. Payton d’Oro (Medaglia d’Oro) attempted to make a run at the winner,
but was no match while 4 1/2 lengths clear in second. Absinthe Minded (Quiet
American) got up to deny Debonair Darling third by 2 3/4 lengths.
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Only a neck and a head separated Debonair Darling, Tesoro de Amor (Medaglia
d’Oro) and Champagne d’Oro (Medaglia d’Oro) on the wire, with Check Point
(Posse) and Blind Date (Not for Love) completing the order of finish after Arena
Elvira (Ghostzapper) was scratched.
Quiet Giant was making just her second graded attempt in
the Molly Pitcher after a uncharacteristic sixth-placing in the La
Troienne S. (G2) at Churchill Downs in early May. She was given some
time off following that race, and returned last out to run away with the
Lady’s Secret.
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Quiet Giant left her rivals far behind to earn her first graded victory
(Bill Denver/Equi-Photo) |
Quiet Giant made her career debut on the turf at
Delaware Park last year, suffering her worse finish to date when 10th
and last. Pletcher immediately switched her to dirt, and the bay filly
responded with a 3 1/2-length triumph against maiden rivals and a 10
1/4-length victory in an allowance. She faded a bit to be fifth in her
stakes bow, the Belle Cherie S. at Belmont Park, then filled the
runner-up spot in Delaware’s Polly’s Jet S. Quiet Giant finally broke
through with a first stakes win while closing out her sophomore season,
taking the Cheap Seats S. at Aqueduct by 8 3/4 lengths.
The miss began her four-year-old campaign on a winning
note when capturing the Lady on the Run S. and Rare Treat S. by a
combined 12 lengths, and ended her love affair with the inner dirt at
Aqueduct when a close second in the Ladies H. on March 26. Her La
Troienne try followed that race, but Quiet Giant put that race behind
her here while pushing her career earnings to $405,389.
The Virginia-bred filly is out of Grade 2-placed stakes
vixen Quiet Dance (Quiet American), who is best known for producing 2005
Horse of the Year and champion older horse Saint Liam. Quiet Giant is
also a half-sister to Grade 3 victor Congressionalhonor (Forestry),
Grade 2-placed American Dance (A.P. Indy), stakes winner Dance Quietly
(A.P. Indy) and the unraced Beatem Buster (Honour and Glory), who is
herself the dam of Mother Goose (G1) star Buster’s Ready (More Than
Ready).
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Quiet Dance, whose most recent offspring are an unnamed
yearling colt by Pulpit and a 2011 filly by Medaglia d’Oro, is out the Lyphard
mare Misty Dancer, who is a half-sibling to Irish champion and Group 1 winner
Minstrella (The Minstrel) as well as Grade 2 heroine Misty Gallore (Halo).
Minstrella would go on in the breeding shed to foal Grade 2 scorer Colonial
Minstrel (Pleasant Colony), Grade 3 victress Minidar (Alydar) and Grade 2-placed
multiple stakes vixen Unrestrained (Unbridled).
This black-type loaded female family also includes Pants on Fire
(Jump Start), triumphant in this season’s Louisiana Derby (G2) and Pegasus S.
(G3); last year’s Jim Dandy S. (G2) hero A Little Warm (Stormin Fever); Grade 2
star Mini Sermon (Pulpit); and Grade 3 winner Pleasant Strike (Smart Strike).