In a stunning turn of events at Saratoga, La Cara, a bay filly by Street Sense, captured the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes with a dominant wire-to-wire performance on a sloppy track.
The victory marked a significant rebound for the Tracy Farmer homebred, who had finished a disappointing ninth in the Kentucky Oaks five weeks ago.
From the start, jockey Dylan Davis guided La Cara to the lead, setting comfortable fractions of 23.40 for the quarter-mile and 47.08 for the half-mile.
Despite pressure from Look Forward, La Cara maintained her advantage and entered the stretch with a clear lead.
While Look Forward made a game effort to close the gap, La Cara held strong to win by three lengths, finishing the one and one-eighth miles in 1:49.20.
Look Forward finished a clear second, followed by Scottish Lassie in third. The heavy favorite, Good Cheer, who entered the race undefeated, struggled over the sloppy surface and finished a disappointing fifth.
The win was the second Grade 1 victory for La Cara this spring, who also won the Ashland Stakes at Keeneland.
Trainer Mark Casse expressed his confidence in the filly, stating, “The Oaks was disappointing, but we never lost faith in her.”
Jockey Dylan Davis added, “She took control, got into a good rhythm, and she was taking me into the second turn nicely, and that was it.”
Scratched Horse(s): Shred the Gnar (RegVet-Unsound)
Fractional Times: 23.40, 47.08, 1:10.74, and 1:35.49
Final Time: 1:49.20
Winning Connections
Winner: La Cara
Jockey: Dylan Davis
Trainer: Mark Casse
Owner: Tracy Farmer
Breeder: Tracy Farmer
Bloodline: Bay Filly, by Street Sense out of Cara Caterina, by Bernardini. Foaled Feb 14, 2022 in Kentucky.
Stallion Info: Street Sense stands at Darley in Lexington, KY. ($50,000 Stands & Nurses)
Payouts
1st – (3) La Cara – Win: $17.40, Place: $10.40, Show: $17.20
2nd – (6) Look Forward – Place: $17.20, Show: $18.00
3rd – (1) Scottish Lassie – Show: $15.80
Exotics: $1.00 Exacta (3-6) Paid: $95.50, $0.50 Trifecta (3-6-1) Paid: $185.25, $0.10 Superfecta (3-6-1-5) Paid: $125.20
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