Godolphin, which received the Eclipse Award for outstanding owner of 2020, was rewarded with its fifth North American graded stakes winner so far this year when Micheline dug in to capture the $200,000 Hillsborough Stakes (G2T) for older fillies and mares March 6 at Tampa Bay Downs.
The Mike Stidham trainee ended 2020 on a strong note, winning the Sept. 10 Exacta Systems Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs and finishing second beaten less than a length in the Oct. 10 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes Presented by Dixiana (G1T) at Keeneland.
Already a three-time black-type winner before the Hillsborough, Micheline notched her first graded victory in the 1 1/8-mile turf event with Luis Saez aboard.
"She is definitely a fighter," said Stidham's assistant Ben Trask. "She is kind of a silly filly—she's a bad stall walker, so she lives (in a portable stall) behind the barn. She is definitely a unique filly with a lot of talent. I was a little concerned with the outside post and whether she would overcome it. Luis put her in a great spot the whole time and when he called on her, she was there."
The Hillsborough marked the Bernardini daughter's 4-year-old debut. She broke from the outside post of 10 and was settled in fourth on the outside. Myhartblongstodady showed the way with fractions of :24.23, :48.80, and 1:12.41 through six furlongs. Morning Molly was a half-length off the lead and Counterparty Risk, winner of the Lambholm South Endeavour Stakes (G3T) a month ago at Tampa, chased in third. Grade 1 winner and 3-1 favorite Magic Attitude was inside near the back of the field.
Myhartblongstodady dropped out of contention as the field made its way down the stretch and Morning Molly gained the lead, but Micheline fought on with a clear run down the outside. While others were fighting for running room and found their best stride late, Micheline prevailed and got up to win by three-quarters of a length. The final time on the firm turf was 1:47.19. She paid $11.20 for a $2 win wager.
"That was the spot I was trying to get (in fourth place early and in the clear), and we got lucky," Saez said. "She broke good and we were right there. At the half-mile pole, when I started asking her, she started to pick it up, and when we got to the straight everything was about battling, and she did that pretty well. She gave me her kick and it was super. Watching her replays, I knew she could win this race, and it's great when everything comes together so well."
Morning Molly held to be a game second, finishing a head in front of Endeavor runner-up New York Girl. La Signare and Miss Teheran finished in a dead heat for fourth. Counterparty Risk failed to find room along the rail down the stretch and finished sixth. Magic Attitude, How Ironic, Court Return, and Myhartblongstodady completed the order of finish.
A Kentucky homebred, Micheline improved her record to 5-2-1 in 13 starts and has earned $665,978. She was produced from the dual grade 1 winner Panty Raid (by Include) and is a half sister to Proxy , another Stidham trainee who was second in both the Lecomte Stakes (G3) and Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2) at the current Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots meet. Panty Raid was reported bred to Frosted for 2021.
Video: Hillsborough S. (G2T)
Domain Expertise Sets Florida Oaks Record
Klaravich Stables' Domain Expertise flew home with a late kick to nose out 3-5 favorite Jouster in the $152,500 Florida Oaks (G3T) Saturday at Tampa. The Kitten's Joy filly set a stakes record in the process, completing 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:41.12.
Domain Expertise broke her maiden over the same course and distance in her third start Dec. 5. Trainer Chad Brown then sent her to Gulfstream Park, where she finished third in the Sweetest Chant Stakes (G3T) at a mile Jan. 30.
Back at Tampa, she was reunited with jockey Antonio Gallardo, who was aboard for her maiden win. Gallardo settled the chestnut mid-pack as Jouster, a Starlight Racing runner trained by Todd Pletcher, comfortably set the pace under Saez. The leader ticked off fractions of :22.98, :47.60, and 1:11.10 for six furlongs before opening up three lengths in the stretch.
Jouster looked like she might be a runaway winner, but Gallardo had tipped out Domain Expertise three wide and the filly came rolling down the stretch. As the wire approached, the distance between the two disappeared and Domain Expertise got up for the victory.
"I think I had a pretty good trip. She felt comfortable all the way around," Gallardo said. "Really, when I put her in the clear, she exploded. She exploded like a good filly. I was trying my hardest and you're not thinking about (whether you're going to catch Jouster, the pacesetter), you're thinking about riding your horse and trying to catch her. That's it. I asked Luis (Saez, on Jouster) 'What do you think?' and he said 'I don't know.' It was so close. Thanks to the Chad Brown team and everybody."
Oyster Box was third 2 1/2 lengths back from Jouster. Mia Martina, Queen of the Green, Be Sneaky, Flight to Shanghai, Forever Boss, Big Band Luzziann, and Alex's First completed the order of finish.
Domain Expertise paid $12.80 for the win. She increased her career earnings to $125,700 from a 2-1-1 record in five starts.
The winner was bred in Kentucky by J D Stuart, Mueller Farms, and Ken and Sarah Ramsey. She is out of the multiple stakes-placed Limehouse mare Teroda and is a half sister to Sombeyay , a graded stakes winner on turf and dirt. Teroda produced a filly by Bolt d'Oro in 2020 and was reported bred to Mendelssohn for 2021.
Domain Expertise was a $200,000 weanling purchase by agent De Meric Stables at the 2018 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, where she was consigned by Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services.
