Paulassilverlining Edges Constellation to Win Grade 1 Madison

By Amy Gregory —-

Live Oak Plantation’s Awesome Slew and Holding Gold
Post Graded Stakes Victories

LEXINGTON, KY (April 8, 2017) – Juddmonte Farms’ favored Paulassilverlining emerged with a neck victory over Constellation to win the 16th running of the $300,000 Madison (G1) for fillies and mares Saturday.

Also posting graded-stakes victories on the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes Day card were Live Oak Plantation’s Awesome Slew in the 31st running of the $250,000 Commonwealth (G3) and Holding Gold, also owned by Live Oak, in the 21st running of the $200,000 Shakertown (G2).

Trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Jose Ortiz, Paulassilverlining covered the 7 furlongs on a fast main track in 1:23.68 to capture her fifth graded-stakes victory but first Grade 1. The victory was worth $180,000 and boosted her career earnings to $1,188,950 with a record of 19-9-4-3.

It was the first win in the race for Brown and Ortiz and the first Keeneland stakes victory for Ortiz.
Paulassilverlining is a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Ghostzapper out of the Grindstone mare Seeking the Silver.

Constellation led the field of nine through fractions of :23.03 and :46.40 and entering the stretch opened a daylight advantage. Paulassilverlining drew on even terms at midstretch and began to pull away only to have Constellation battle back to make it a photo finish at the wire.

Paulassilverlining returned $5.60, $3.20 and $2.60. Constellation, ridden by David Flores, returned $4 and $3.60 and finished 2½ lengths in front of Paid Up Subscriber, who paid $3.80 to show under Joel Rosario.

It was another 1¾ lengths back to Mines and Magic in fourth with Kathballu, Wheatfield, High Ridge Road, Ponder Lea and Clothes Fall Off following in order.

Quotes for the $300,000 Madison (G1)

Clickhere for a replay of the race

Chad Brown (winning trainer of 9-5 favorite Paulassilverlining)
“I have to give credit to (former trainer) Michelle Nevin. I only got her (Paulassilverlining) a month ago and she did most of the work to get this horse ready, so I’ll share the win with her. She did a terrific job. A lot of credit goes to Garrett O’Rourke (of owner Juddmonte Farms), who made the deal to buy her. I was lucky enough (Juddmonte owner) Prince Khalid wanted me to train her.
“I’m in a real fortunate spot today. We’ll probably to Churchill for the Humana Distaff-G1 (on May 6 at 7 furlongs). I think we had thought about that even before this race. I’ll speak to Garrett and she how she comes out of this race. We’re happy to have her.”

Jose Ortiz (winning rider)
“(The trip) was great. She broke really well. When I cut the corner at the quarter pole, she kicked on. Great training job by Chad as always, and I’m just happy she had the opportunity.”

David Flores (rider of runner-up Constellation)
“I thought that the winner was going to be behind me coming around (the far turn), but when I got to the top of the stretch she went inside.
“My filly was getting out a little bit on the turn. I hit her left-handed and she got out a little more so I corrected her and she tried to come back. But the other horse had an advantage once she got the lead. My filly is a very competitive filly, and she fights to the end. She gave me a great effort.”

Joel Rosario (rider of third-place finisher Paid Up Subscriber)
“She broke well and took a little time to get into stride, like she likes to run. In the middle of the race the pace was not very fast– she was moving very nice and comfortable. We were just third-best today.”

Robby Albarado (rider of fourth-place finisher Mines and Magic)
“I had a really good trip. I got excited a little bit turning for home because from all indications she was there for me. I was on the outside in a clear spot and gave her the best opportunity possible. She’s a nice filly. It was a tough race. I’m looking forward to the rest of her year. I think she’s going to run at Churchill next.”

Awesome Slew Wins Commonwealth (G3)

In the Commonwealth, Awesome Slew rallied from next to last in the nine-horse field at the head of the stretch to prevail by 1½ lengths over favored A. P. Indian.

Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Joel Rosario, Awesome Slew covered the 7 furlongs in 1:22.31. It was the second Commonwealth victory for Rosario, who won the 2012 renewal on Lonesome Street.

Limousine Liberal led the field through fractions of :22.97 and :46.21 but yielded the lead in upper stretch to A. P. Indian, who succumbed to Awesome Slew’s charge in the final sixteenth of a mile.
The victory was worth $150,000 and increased Awesome Slew’s earnings to $540,420 with a record of 11-4-1-3. It was the second graded stakes victory for the 4-year-old homebred son of Awesome Again out of the Seeking the Gold mare Slewfoundmoney.

Awesome Slew returned $8.20, $4 and $2.80. A. P. Indian, ridden by Joe Bravo, returned $3.20 and $2.80 with Limousine Liberal finishing two lengths back in third and paying $3.80 to show under Jose Ortiz.
Defending champion Ami’s Flatter finished another 1¾ lengths back in fourth and was followed in order by Redesdale, Fish Trappe Road, Tale of S’avall, Yockey’s Warrior and Riding in the Wind.

Holding Gold Takes Shakertown

In the Shakertown, Holding Gold took over in deep stretch to score by a neck as the second-longest shot on the board at 18-1 and give the trainer-jockey combination of Mark Casse and Joel Rosario a back-to-back stakes double. It was the first victory in the race for Casse and Rosario.

Making his first start since finishing seventh in last October’s Woodford (G3), Holding Gold covered the 5½ furlongs on a firm turf course in 1:02.29.

Justin Squared led the field of nine through fractions of :22.07 and :44.93 and remained in front until the eighth pole when Green Mask squeezed past on the inside. Holding Gold quickly collared Green Mask with the two dueling to the wire with Holding Gold slowly easing away.

A 4-year-old homebred son of Lonhro (AUS) out of the Golden Missile mare In the Gold, Holding Gold earned $120,000 for the victory that increased his bankroll to $274,835 with a record of 9-4-2-0. It was his first graded stakes victory.

Holding Gold returned $38.20, $14.60 and $7.60. Green Mask, ridden by Robby Albarado, returned $4.80 and $3.20 and finished 1½ lengths in front of favored Hogy, who paid $3 to show under Florent Geroux.
Partly Mocha finished another half-length back in fourth and was followed in order by Justin Squared, Mongolian Saturday, Rainbow Heir, Element and Shakhimat.

Quotes for the $200,000 Shakertown (G2)

Click here for a replay of the race

Mark Casse (winning trainer of Holding Gold)
“Last year we ran him here, and he got beat (2¾) lengths in his last start (in the Oct. 8 Woodford-G3 Presented by Keeneland Select). I said to (owner) Mrs. (Charlotte) Weber, ‘He’s only 3 years old. Let’s send him home, let him grow up, and if he grows up over the winter, he’s going to be as good as any turf sprinter in North America.’ So maybe we do have one.”

Joel Rosario (winning rider)
“Good trip. Before (the race) in the Paddock, Mark told me – I’ve never been on this horse before – to save a little ground and he’ll probably come with a late run, and he did. That was beautiful.”

Robby Albarado (rider of runner-up Green Mask)
“It was a perfect trip. He ran well. I am looking forward to seeing him the rest of the year.”

Florent Geroux (rider of third-place finisher and beaten favorite Hogy)
“It was good race. He just was not fast enough. No excuse.”

Jose Ortiz (rider of fourth-place finisher Party Mocha)
“My trip was very good, just a little wide going through the stretch but I had no choice and I had to go there. I think he had a good race.”
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