Jun 22, 2016 11:48:30 GMT -5
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Post by Ripley on Jun 22, 2016 11:48:30 GMT -5
Outta The Way Boys, It's Our Turn
While Battle Brook has made a big splash this season with colts, Notorious, who won the Kentucky Open and Preakness Champion Stakes, and Uno Momento, who won the Preakness, Coveted Faith's stout win in the Duchess Stakes--the final leg of the Turf Triple Tiara--signals the turning of the tide. While Battle Brook and Intrepid await results from Uno's race in the Belmont Stakes, Ripley Marsh is gearing up a top notch group of fillies to step into the boys' shoes when they go on summer vacation.
Coveted Faith: Coveted Faith appeared underwhelming in the first two legs of the Turf Tiara, but the daughter of GS Ultimate Challenge got her revenge in the Duchess Stakes. Finding the ten furlong distance to her liking, Faith bounded home to beat out all of the horse she'd faced in prior legs. She'll be given a month off as a reward for her efforts before aiming toward The Wire Green Mile Series. If Faith runs to expectations, she could hit up several Filly and Mare Turf races as preps for the Turf Distaff.
Swing Dancer: Once underappreciated and overlooked, Swing Dancer has come into the summer on fire. In June Week One, the grey filly nosed out SOPS filly Melodious to take her first HOTY win in the Evangeline Sprint. Now two wins away from grade two, Swing Dancer looks to take her stellar show on the road. Her next start is expected to come at GHF in the Girl's Party as a prelude to the Dirt Sprinter Triple Tiara.
Awestruck: Awestruck's wild speed beckoned thoughts of success from a young age. Now that she's matured quite a bit, Tru has become a successful three year old star. The daughter of Touch Up and Strike The Win did well in May, finishing third in the Mother Goose Stakes, and is only going to get better the longer her races go. She is expected to do her best in the final leg of the Triple Tiara--the CCAO. Whether she is successful or not, Tru will be heading to the Dirt Distance Series to prove that she has what it takes to make her mark.
Enrapture: Enrapture is one of the more headstrong members of the roster at Battle Brook. As such, she's been a bit of a challenge at the age of three, requiring a bit more time to come into her own. She swept to a strong victory in the Plum Pretty Challenge at BSD--Enrapture's top performance to date. The bay daughter of Furious Passion will have an intriguing schedule in the second half, making appearances in the Red Mile Series, the CTT and the Risorgimento Series.
Artemis' Glory: Artemis' Glory became the queen of Battle Brooks' Y13 crop as a juvenile, but she continued her reign well into this year. She's notched three more HOTY wins in the Crystal Sprint, Miesque Stakes and Top Speed Stakes. It is unclear whether she will face the boys in the Turf Sprinter Crown or Tiara as of yet. Her connections are hoping for some clarity in her next pair of races: the Girl's Festival and Star Festival. Either way, Artemis is likely to be a force to reckon with as always.
It has been well known that Battle Brook was most excited for fillies in this crop from the get-go. Many people waved the murmurs aside, pointing to Uno's physical prowess and Notorious's brilliance, but now they're going to have to take a look. If anything, Ripley has shown that persistence does pay off. Everyone can agree that the trainer, her crew and her horses have been nothing if not doggedly determined to end up in the winners' circle.
