Solid Appeal repeats in Nassau; Marine goes to Top Gun via DQ

Solid Appeal repeats in Nassau; Marine goes to Top Gun via
DQ

Solid Appeal (left) snapped a losing skid to retain her crown in the Nassau (WEG/Michael Burns Photography) Canadian champion turf mare Solid Appeal bounced back to form to claim Sunday’s Grade 2, $196,576 Nassau Stakes at Woodbine for the second straight year. Rallying from off a hot pace, the Reade Baker trainee got up by a half-length over 18-1 shot Why Katherine. Solid Appeal, who turned the Nassau/Dance Smartly double last summer, hadn’t prospered in the interim. Sixth to the world-class Dank in the Beverly D. at Arlington Park, she was eighth in the Canadian and third in the Cardinal Handicap at Churchill Downs to round out the season. Solid Appeal returned to action in the April 18 Doubledogdare over Keeneland’s Polytrack, reporting home fifth to fellow Sovereign Award winner Sisterly Love. The two Canadian champions squared off again in the Nassau, but the change of venue to Woodbine’s turf course served up a reversal of fortunes. Sisterly Love, Canada’s champion older female on the strength of her Polytrack prowess, didn’t run up to that level when trying turf for the first time. Solid Appeal, in contrast, was right back in her element, and primed for this objective. The 5-2 second choice, Solid Appeal was reserved several lengths off a frenetic pace by Jesse Campbell. Up front, 8-5 favorite Deceptive Vision was overeager in her stakes debut, and determined to vie with Avie’s Sense through fractions of :22 4/5 and :45 on the firm course. Sisterly Love, close early, began to drop back before being steadied and ultimately trailing home last.

Meanwhile, Avie’s Sense edged clear of Deceptive Vision at the six-furlong
mark in 1:08 2/5, but she could not sustain her momentum down the lane.
Deceptive Vision came back along the inside to grab a short-lived advantage,
only to be swamped in turn by the unheralded Why Katherine.

Just when an upset appeared in the offing, Solid Appeal rolled into gear on
the outside and successfully defended her title in a brisk 1:33 for the mile.
The five-year-old returned $7.40 to win.

“It’s her time of year,” Campbell said. “She loves the track and was well
prepared. I’m sure she was pointed towards this race and that always helps.

“I though there would be pace, but I didn’t think there would be that much
pace. When I saw Shaun (Bridgmohan on Deceptive Vision) up there close, I knew
there was pace. She was in a good spot, so I left her alone and let the race
come to her.

“I had a lot of horse, and she finished well.”

Deceptive Vision held third by two lengths from the troubled Savvy Hester.
Although a 30-1 longshot, Savvy Hester was making purposeful headway between
foes in the stretch when she was squeezed back and lost her position. Surtsey,
Avie’s Sense, Northern Passion, Queen’s Daughter and Sisterly Love rounded out
the order under the wire. Meri Shika was scratched.

Owned by Jim and Susan Hill, Solid Appeal advanced her scorecard to 19-6-2-3,
$539,44, which also reflects a third in the 2011 Mazarine as a juvenile. The
daughter of Successful Appeal was bred by Select Bloodstock in Kentucky and sold
to her current connections for $100,000 as a Keeneland November weanling.

Solid Appeal is out of the unraced Woodman mare Star of the Woods, making her
a half-sister to multiple stakes vixen It Tiz and to multiple stakes-placed
Meetmeinthewoods. With her fourth dam being Beautiful Spirit, she hails from the
family of German highweight and noted sire Silvano as well as Grade/Group 1
winners Sabiango, Teggiano, Beautiful Melody and Jeanne Jones.

Conquest Top Gun (right) was handed the Marine after Asserting Bear was demoted for hampering Ami’s Holiday (WEG/Michael Burns Photography) Three races earlier, there was an even more dramatic conclusion to the $128,843 Marine Stakes, a Queen’s Plate prep which produced a three-way battle to the wire, a stewards’ inquiry, a jockey’s objection and ultimately a disqualification. The 5-2 favorite Asserting Bear was first past the post, edging pacesetter Conquest Top Gun. But in the process, Asserting Bear interfered with Ami’s Holiday, who was third in the tight finish. Accordingly, Asserting Bear was demoted to third, elevating Conquest Stables’ Conquest Top Gun to the victory in his stakes debut. One of two entrants for trainer Mark Casse, who scratched Matador, Conquest Top Gun showed a different dimension to grab the early lead here. The Pioneerof the Nile colt had been a midpack stalking type in his first three starts, and just closed in time to break his maiden at Keeneland April 16. With new rider Eurico Rosa da Silva aboard, Conquest Top Gun opened up a two-length margin through an opening quarter in :23 4/5 on the Polytrack. Asserting Bear moved up to press him through splits of :47 3/5 and 1:11 3/5, and continued to loom ominously as they matched strides into the stretch.

Ami’s Holiday, who had been improving his position from the back of the pack,
tried to get through a seam between Asserting Bear and Conquest Top Gun. At the
same time, Asserting Bear lugged in under urging from Chantal Sutherland Kruse,
shutting the door on Ami’s Holiday and forcing his rider, Luis Contreras, to
veer back toward the rail. Ami’s Holiday finished with interest for a near-miss
third while Asserting Bear clocked 1:44 2/5 for 1 1/16 miles.

Contreras lodged a claim of foul as the stewards also posted the inquiry
sign. After review, the stewards amended the order of finish.

Upon his elevation, Conquest Top Gun paid $8.10 as the 3-1 third choice.

“My horse was very anxious to run,” da Silva said, “and the other horse
(Asserting Bear) was always beside me which didn’t make my job too easy. I was
surprised he went that fast and still kept going. He ran a great race.”

As a Kentucky-bred, Conquest Top Gun is not eligible for the Queen’s Plate.
Hence the Marine’s principal ramifications for the Queen’s Plate involve
Ontario-breds Asserting Bear and Ami’s Holiday.

Queen’s Plate nominee Tower of Texas finished fourth, followed by
Florida-bred Puntrooskie and Queen’s Plate hopeful Heart to Heart.
Pennsylvania-bred Supermonic, trained by Todd Pletcher, was scratched along with
Casse’s Queen’s Plate-eligible Matador.

Conquest Top Gun was bred by Dixiana Farms. His dam, the stakes-placed Early
Vintage, is a Jump Start half-sister to multiple Grade 3 heroine Tasha’s Miracle
from the family of Grade 2 star Concord Point. Initially bringing $42,000 as a
yearling at Keeneland September, Conquest Top Gun commanded $525,000 as an OBS
June two-year-old. He has now bankrolled $110,099 from his 4-2-0-1 line.

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