Galway stake worth $150,000 on Aug 11 shows a rematch between Coronation Cup runners-up poppies and the winner Tiger Queen but it was Arnmore Thoroughbreds’ Poppies that came out on top this time in the second-year 5 1/2 turf sprint.
Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, daughter of meadow scored the second equity win of his career and his second since joining Mott in May after finishing the underage campaign in October under the care of Wesley Ward. Now boasting a 3 to 4 record for her new conditioner, Poppy Flower has earned another stake after winning the Stormy Blues Stakes earlier this spring at Laurel Park.
Emerging from the inner post with a return strike from Jose Ortiz, Poppy Flower broke quickly but comfortably along the track and into the back of the court. Empress Tigress, with Hall of Famer John Velazquez on board, ran to sit at half the speed set by Delmona over a quarter mile opened in: 22.25 on grass.
With a position mostly unchanged for half a mile at:44.87, the Empress Tigress took the lead as the field of nine fillings headed home. Poppy Flower, who was flung outside by Ortiz, plunged into an angry leg spin down the middle of the track to inhale a powerful Queen tiger and tire Delmona to score a goal difference in the final time. 1: 02.09.
Queen Tigress awarded Delmona half-length for the place title. Benbang , Freedom to speak and participants only follow the main Mysterious eyes scratched.
Last crowned at the Crowning Cup, Poppy Flower and Empress Tigress ran races almost identical to their efforts in Galway, but the previous race appeared only half way.
Ortiz said Empress Tigress faced less pressure in the Cup, where she was able to take a 3 1/2 advantage in the intense call.
“I thought (Poppy Flower) ran well, but the winner, Empress Tigress, was also a nice person. She had a very good lead that day,” Ortiz said. “But today, (Delmona) came out and ended up paying the price for the Tiger Queen today as well. Today’s race was different.”
Mott said he trusts Ortiz to be in the race as it happens.
“I didn’t instruct him,” Mott said. He rode her last time and rode her very well. “We thought maybe we’d get a little closer to the pace today, and she broke well and she was there to make a few strides, but she just wanted to settle down. And he lets her do what she wants to do.He lets and sometimes you should let horses do what they want to do rather than make them do something we want them to do.
“It’s an honest enough pace otherwise they wouldn’t have gone that far,” added Mott. “When you’re in this race and you come in from behind, it’s all about the ride. We know she can run, but she had a good ride.”
Poppy Flower and Her Relationships After the Galway Stakes
Ortiz said he decided to swing out into the middle of the track to give Poppy Flower the best chance of running his race.
“I could have waited longer to see if something opened up inside, but I felt like there was a horse blanket and I didn’t want to be a hero,” Ortiz said. “I know I have a lot of horses underneath and she always finishes well, so I wanted to run home clean. I didn’t want any excuses. She flew home.”
Returning $10.40 on a $2 winning bet, Poppy Flower increased her total wallet earnings to $340,520. She was bred in Kentucky by Brenda Harding and Megan Jones from the excellent mare Nisharora and $9,500 worth of RNA from Denali Stud’s shipment to Keeneland’s January 2020 All Age Horse Sale.
Video: Galway S. (BT)
This press release has been edited for content and style by the BloodHorse Staff.
