Informed Decision makes it four straight in Humana Distaff

Informed Decision was too game to hold off in the Humana Distaff (Melissa Wirth/Horsephotos.com) Augustin Stable’s INFORMED DECISION (Monarchos) was forced to change paths many times during Saturday’s $335,400 Humana Distaff S. (G1), but still managed to find the wire first under Julien Leparoux. Trained by Jonathan Sheppard, the four-year-old lass was three parts of a length clear on the line, paying $8.40, $4.80 and $3.40 as the 3-1 second choice while keying the $356.40 exacta. Dubai Majesty (Essence of Dubai) sprinted to the fore from the gate and attempted to lead all the way to the wire while setting splits of :22 1/5, :44 4/5 and 1:09 4/5. Up by as much as four lengths in midstretch, the dark bay miss appeared to be headed to the winner’s circle, but suddenly found the rest of the field converging around her. During this time, Informed Decision was forced to steady at the quarter-mile and weave her way through traffic. Finally getting through between horses, the eventual winner finished seven furlongs on the sloppy, sealed dirt in 1:23 3/5 .

Temple Street (Street Cry [Ire]) rallied from last to take the runner-up
spot, giving back $24 and $10 as the 32-1 longest shot in the nine-horse field.
Dubai Majesty couldn’t keep pace late, but still held well in the stretch to
cross under the line in third at the same exact moment as Modification
(Vindication). The pacesetter was worth $4.20 at 12-1 while Modification
returned $5.80 at 27-1 for dead-heating for third. Dubai Majesty’s trifecta paid
$1,650.40 and her 3-6-2-8 superfecta gave back $19,572.60. Modification supplied
a $2,160.60 trifecta and an $18,876 superfecta (3-6-8-2).

Royale Michele (Elusive Quality), 2-1 favorite Game Face (Menifee), Tiz to
Dream (Tiznow), Bear Now (Tiznow) and Secret Gypsy (Sea of Secrets) completed
the order under the wire.

Informed Decision began her racing career in January 2008, taking her maiden
debut by 6 1/2 lengths before adding an allowance win via disqualification to
her line. The gray miss suffered her worst finish to date when making her stakes
bow in last season’s Davona Dale S. (G2), winding up fourth, but quickly
rebounded next out over Keeneland’s Polytrack to score a 6 1/4-length decision
in an allowance/optional claimer. Informed Decision was given the rest of the
summer off and returned to finish third in the Victory Ride S. (G3) prior to
finishing out her three-year-old campaign with wins in the Missile Belle S. and
Raven Run S. (G2).

She earned her first Grade 1 win while making her 2009 bow on April 9,
gutting out a head victory in the Madison S. (G1) at Keeneland, and has now won four straight
with the Humana Distaff. Her record stands at 9-7-0-1, $722,217.

Bred in Kentucky by Charles L. Kidder & Nancy M. Cole, Informed Decision has
passed through the sales ring twice, bringing $150,000 as a Fasig-Tipton July
yearling and $320,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May two-year-old. She is out
of the winning Palangana (His Majesty) and has a pair of unnamed half-sisters, a
Zavata juvenile and a Champali yearling. Informed Decision’s second dam is Grade
3 winner and Grade 2-placed Countess North (Northern Dancer), who produced 1985
New Orleans H. (G2) winner Westheimer (Blushing Groom [Fr]).

This is the same family as three-time Grade 1 heroine Banker’s Lady (Nijinsky
II), Grade 1 scorer Ecton Park (Forty Nner), Grade 2 winners Banker’s Gold
(Forty Niner), Impetuous Gal (Briartic), Relaxing Rhythm (Easy Goer) and Spring
Waltz (Silver Charm) as well as Grade 3 victress Meribel (Peaks and Valleys).