Never Retreat broke sharply, and when Persuading went to secure her usual
|
“I didn’t think I would be that close to the pace,” Leparoux said, “but I had
no instructions. So I just let her settle, and that’s where we ended up. She
broke good and was very relaxed. When I asked her, she finished strong.”
“I was surprised when she jumped out there early,” Block said, “but she was
settled and going easy on the backstretch after the quarter in :24. From there I
was pretty confident.”
Persuading just held second by a neck from the fast-finishing Aviate (GB) (Dansili
{GB]), last year’s Musidora S. (Eng-G3) winner, who was making her American
debut. Trip for A. J. (Trippi) checked in another neck back in fourth, followed
by Bay to Bay (Sligo Bay [Ire]), Firey Red (Ire) (Pivotal), Sweetest Song (Unbridled’s
Song), Justaroundmidnight (Ire) (Danehill Dancer), Unbridled Essence (Essence of
Dubai), Sweeter Still (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]) and Ansong (Mizzen Mast).
Cherokee Queen (Cherokee Run), Miss Blakely (Smart Strike) and the
main-track-only entrant Amazing (Greatness) were all scratched.
The ultra-consistent Never Retreat sports a 24-7-6-6 mark to go along with
$496,481 in earnings. Runner-up in the 2008 Mother Goose S. (G1), the dark bay
also captured the Rare Blend S. and placed in the Susan’s Girl S. and Quick
Mischief S. during that sophomore season. Never Retreat raced only three times
in 2009, placing in both the Blushing K.D. H. and Virginia H. Tarra Illinois
Owners S.
“We bought her privately as a four-year-old,” Block noted, “and she was a bit
of a task until we got to know her better, but she’s done everything we’ve asked
over the last year.”
Her 2010 campaign got off to an unfortunate start when she crossed the wire
first in the Furl Sail H., only to be demoted to second for causing
interference. Never Retreat then lost on the head-bob in the Marie G. Krantz
Memorial H., and concluded her stint at Fair Grounds with a third in the Bayou
H. She was in tip-top form in the latter part of the year, landing the Lady
Canterbury S. and Kentucky Cup Ladies Turf S. and missing by a nose to the
classy Fantasia (GB) (Sadler’s Wells) in the River Memories S. Reappearing with
a third to Justaroundmidnight in the January 9 Marshua’s River, Never Retreat
took runner-up honors behind Cherokee Queen in the February 5 Suwannee River.
Bred by Gerry O’Meara and Stanley Inman in Kentucky, Never Retreat was sold
for $410,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling. The six-year-old is out
of the Canadian stakes-placed Lisieux (Steady Growth), and her half-siblings
include Laoub (Red Ransom), the dam of Australian stakes winner Moulin Lady
(Reset), as well as an unnamed juvenile filly by English Channel and a yearling
filly by Bob and John.
Lisieux is herself a half-sister to multiple Grade 2
heroine Sweetest Chant (Mr. Leader), the dam of Grade 2 queen Danzig’s Beauty (Danzig),
who in turn produced multiple Grade 2 star and top sire Distorted Humor (Forty
Niner). This is also the family of Grade 3 scorer Liam’s Dream (Saint Liam),
Grade 2 winner Cassaleria (Pretense) and Canadian Grade 2 victor Seaside Retreat
(King Cugat).
Block indicated that Never Retreat would likely make her next start at
Keeneland.