Odds-on favorite Adare Manor scored a repeat victory in Saturday’s $401,500 Clement L. Hirsch (G1) at Del Mar, but the real story was how she did it. Instead of employing her usually aggressive style, the Bob Baffert mare relaxed off the pace, got shuffled back, and had to erase an uncharacteristic deficit down the lane.
By rallying to overhaul well-regarded shipper Scylla, Adare Manor did more than just book her spot in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1). Michael Lund Petersen’s colorbearer enhanced her credentials for the championship event, refuting the idea that she’s reliant on a cozy set-up on or near the lead.
In last year’s Clement L. Hirsch, Adare Manor worked out a stalking trip in second as the class of the field. On Saturday, she initially bagged a good position, only to find herself further behind as the race developed.
When the gate opened, Olivia Twist was intent on grabbing the lead. The 58-1 longest shot on the board was apparently doing her best to help her Todd Fincher stablemate, Flying Connection, who was rating off the pace.
Scylla, the 2.70-1 second choice, showed more early dash than might have been expected. Indeed, not only did she track Olivia Twist through an opening quarter in :23. Scylla forced the issue into the backstretch and passed the longshot by the half in a demanding :46.52.
Adare Manor was striding comfortably in third until Pretty Mischievous began an early move. Desert Dawn tried to improve at the same stage, briefly relegating Adare Manor to fifth approaching the far turn.
Meanwhile, Mike Smith aboard Scylla decided to break the race open. Spurting away from Pretty Mischievous and Olivia Twist through six furlongs in 1:10.97, Scylla hoped to steal enough of a march on Adare Manor entering the stretch.
Backers of the 3-5 favorite might well have thought that she was vulnerable to that gambit. Normally, Adare Manor is putting the race away at that point, not having to make up a significant amount of ground. When regular rider Juan Hernandez started to ask her on the turn, she didn’t make much headway.
Yet once the big daughter of Uncle Mo was able to deploy her long strides upon straightening for home, she gained momentum. Scylla, on the other hand, was tiring, and the outcome was already clear.
Adare Manor overpowered Scylla through the final furlong, driving to a 2 3/4-length decision. Her final time for 1 1/16 miles wasn’t much faster than a year ago (1:43.29 compared to 1:43.33). Her margin, however, was more convincing than last year’s tidy length over a lesser field.
Scylla, whose bold tactics didn’t pan out for her, nevertheless held second easily by two lengths. Flying Connection nipped Desert Dawn for third. Pretty Mischievous retreated to fifth, followed by Sugar Fish, Coffee in Bed, and Olivia Twist.
Adare Manor’s eighth graded stakes victory advanced her scorecard to 18-10-5-0, $2,096,000. The dark bay showed talent as a sophomore, romping in the 2022 Las Virgenes (G3) and placing in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2) and Black-Eyed Susan (G2). She’s been progressing as an older horse.
During her five-race winning streak last season, Adare Manor captured the Santa Maria (G2), Santa Margarita (G2), and Zenyatta (G2) along with the Hirsch. She couldn’t extend her skein in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita, where she got no closer than fourth early, and ultimately faded to seventh.
Adare Manor kicked off 2024 with a closing second in the Beholder Mile (G1), and she’s since rattled off three straight wins. The first two came in wire-to-wire style by a combined margin of 10 lengths. Plundering the Apple Blossom (G1) at Oaklawn Park, Adare Manor coasted in her Santa Margarita title defense. Her Clement L. Hirsch repeat was tactically more instructive, furnishing additional evidence that she’s better than ever at the age of five.
Bred by Town & Country Horse Farms and Gary Broad in Kentucky, Adare Manor initially brought $180,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Kentucky February yearling. She went to her current connections for $375,000 as an OBS Summer two-year-old in training.
Adare Manor is out of the Grade 3-winning Brooklynsway, by Giant Gizmo. Although her immediate family isn’t fashionable, the female line traces to blue hen *Rough Shod II.
