Three-time Group 1 winner SHEDARESTHEDEVIL (USA) (Daredevil x Starship Warpspeed) carried the colours of her owners Qatar Racing Limited, Flurry Racing Stables, and Big Aut Farms to a ninth career and seventh Group success in the Group 3 Locust Grove Stakes, a 1,700-metre contest for three-year-old and older fillies and mares, at Churchill Downs, USA, on Monday, September 20th, Qatar time.
Winner of the Group 1 Clement L Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar last month, the Brad Cox-trained four-year-old made a winning return to Churchill Downs where her record now stands at five wins from five runs.
Ridden by Florent Geroux, SHEDARESTHEDEVIL was quickly into stride from her outside draw and was sent straight to the lead. Setting a decent pace from the start, she headed down the backstraight over a length clear of her five rivals. Steadied back on the turn for home, SHEDARESTHEDEVIL was challenged strongly towards the inside by CRYSTAL BALL (Malibu Moon). Having held a bit in reserve, Geroux asked the favourite to extend inside the final 100m. Always doing enough, SHEDARESTHEDEVIL passed the post with a neck to spare from the gutsy Crystal Ball, with ENVUTANTE (Uncle Mo) a further length and a half back in third.
Bred by WinStar Farm, SHEDARESTHEDEVIL is by DAREDEVIL (More Than Ready) who now stands at Lanes End Farm, having previously stood in Turkey. Her dam STARSHIP WARPSPEED (Congrats) also produced MOJOVATION (Quality Road) who finished third in the 2017 Group 3 Futurity Stakes at Belmont Park.
Source: Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club