NATALMA STAKES | PURSE: $200,000 | 2-YEAR-OLD FILLIES | GRADE 2 | 1 MILE (TURF)
Conquest Harlanate, tracking Isabella Sings into the stretch, eventually wore the persistent favorite down to win the $129,816 Natalma Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on the Woodbine turf Sept. 13.
With the victory, Conquest Stables' daughter of Harlan's Holiday sealed a fees-paid berth in the Breeders's Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf this fall at Santa Anita Park as part of the "Win & You're In' promotion. The Natalma was the first of four Breeders' Cup Challenge events at Woodbine during the Sept. 13-14 weekend.
Sent off at odds of 13-2, Conquest Harlanate, ridden patiently by Patrick Husbands, defeated New York invader Isabella Sings by a neck as she completed the one-turn mile test in a slow 1:40.61 over good turf. Skinner Box was two lengths farther back in third in the field of 12 juvenile fillies.
Mark Casse trains Conquest Harlanate, now 2-for-2 over the Woodbine turf after breaking her maiden by 2 ¾ lengths at six furlongs Aug. 3. Casse also saddled fourth-place finisher Dixie Twist. Casse has won the Natalma three times in the past four years and has five wins in the race overall.
Conquest Harlanate was bred in Ontario by Windhaven Farm out of the Dixieland Band farm Allison's Pride.
Green Doctor, prompted by Appeal to the Win, showed the way through quarter mile fractions of of :23.29 seconds, and :46,94 seconds while 2-1 choice Isabella Sings tracked comfortably in fourth on the outside. Isabella Sings loomed up on the outside rounding the bend to challenge approaching the quarter pole, taking over from Green Doctor after six furlongs in 1:13.39.
Conquest Harlanate, racing mid-pack through the early going, progressed through the turn and followed Isabella Sings into the stretch. She drew even with the favorite at mid-stretch to gain the lead by half a length, but Isabella Sings wasn't done, fighting back along the inside through the drive. Conquest Harlanate, given a couple of late right-handed cracks by Husbands, had her measure as they reached the wire, however.
Skinner Box, another New York shipper, loomed a danger on the far outside for Luis Contreras in the stretch but could not get on even terms with the first two. Dixie Twist, winner of the Ontario Debutante making her turf debut, was far back in fourth, followed by Reserved, the slow-starting Don't Leave Me, Green Doctor, Roaming, Callisto, Appeal to the Win, Starless Night, and Bourbon's Rahfee.
Conquest Harlanate was twice been through the sales ring as a yearling at Keeneland, selling for $75,000 at the January 2013 Horse of All Ages Sale to Black Hawk Stables through consignor Four Star Sales. In September, the bay filly was a $120,000 sale to Lisa Orth when consigned by Dromoland Farm, agent.
Under equal weights of 119 pounds, Conquest Harlanate paid $15.10, $6.70, and $4.20 across the board, topping a $59.80 exacta. Siena Farms homebred Isabella Sings, a debut maiden winner on the Belmont Park inner turf July 10 in her only start for trainer Todd Pletcher, returned $4.70 and $3.70. New York-bred Skinner Box, a debut maiden winner for trainer Rick Violette Aug. 11 at Saratoga Race Course, paid $11.40.
Conquest Harlanate, who debuted with a third-place finish on the Woodbine Polytrack in a five-furlong maiden test July 12, has won two of three starts while earning $173,569.