June 10, 2007

AUDACIOUS CHLOE REMAINS UNBEATEN IN 2007 WITH WIN NUMBER 3,
SOPHOMORE GRASS STAR ADDS LITTLE SILVER STAKES AT MONMOUTH

Audacious Chloe stalked and pounced for easy victory in the Little Silver Stakes.

Team Valor and Never Tell Racing’s 3-year-old filly Audacious Chloe kept her unbeaten streak alive in 2007 by adding the Little Silver Stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday to earlier victories in this season in Gulfstream Park’s Gaily Gaily Stakes and Keeneland’s Appalachian Stakes.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, the More Than Ready filly became the fifth stakes winner of the young meeting for jockey Chris DeCarlo, who put up a picture-perfect ride. DeCarlo has ridden the chestnut twice, both at the New Jersey track, and both times he has brought her home on top. Last season in her turf debut, the $300,000 Saratoga yearling buy won the Junior Champion Stakes.

Sent off as the odds-on 7 to 10 public choice, the Team Valor colorbearer saved ground early in fourth, was moved into third rounding the turn, assumed command when ready, stretched out to nearly a 3-length lead at midstretch, then cruised home 1 ¾ lengths on top.

Shouldering co-highweight of 123 pounds and giving runner-up Cabbage Key 6 pounds, the winner ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.27 to come within two-fifths of a second of the course record.

"The instructions were to get her covered up at all costs," DeCarlo said. "When I got her tucked in behind some horses, she was able to relax a little bit. Once I tipped her out, it was all over."

Trainer Pletcher, who made history later in the day when saddling Rags to Riches to become the first filly to win the Classic Belmont Stakes in a century, has done a splendid job in teaching the former front runner to settle this season.

Barry Irwin said “This win was a testimony to the talent of Pletcher, as he has been successful in getting a headstrong filly to submit to rating. And I cannot say enough about the ride Chris gave our filly.”

Audacious Chloe, named by Barry Irwin after his teenage daughter after he selected her from Taylor Made Farm’s consignment at Saratoga, will use the $60,000 Little Silver as a prep for the June 30 renewal of the $150,000 Grade 3 Boiling Springs Handicap.

Audacious Chloe from 8 career outings now sports a record of 5 wins and 2 seconds and earnings of $255,873. The 4-time stakes winner on the grass suffered her only non-productive performance sprinting on dirt in a Graded race at Saratoga last summer.

Team Valor has raced 6 stakes winners this season and all but one of them was bought as a yearling by Barry Irwin.