The reigning U.S. three-year-old pacing filly of the year, Colors A Virgin, returned to action Friday and made her 2015 debut a winning one as she captured the $21,000 Invitational Pace for fillies and mares at Hoosier Park.
Overcoming a tough, first-over trip, Colors A Virgin scored her first victory against older mares in 1:53.3 and gave driver Trace Tetrick one of six wins on the 13-race card.
Leaving from post four in a talented field of six, Colors A Virgin and Tetrick resumed their previous racing tactics and raced from off the pace early, to secure a spot along the rail in fourth. Tim Curtain sent Wings away from the gate firing and the duo reached the first quarter in :27.4. Stable Eyes and Tim Clevenger benefitted from a pocket trip while Miss Millie and Peter Wrenn were next in line, third. Pertty Music and Ed Hensley, back to back winners at this level, sat at the back of the pack for much of the mile.
Wrenn gave Miss Millie the go-ahead down the backside and she secured the lead just past the half in :57. Unable to wait any longer, Colors A Virgin began her first-over bid approaching the final turn with American Girl and Sam Widger in tow.
As the field reached the third station in 1:25.3, Colors A Virgin had worn down the tiring leader and began to put her talent on display as she paced away from the field. Using a :28 final panel, Colors A Virgin coasted on to the wire under a hand drive from Tetrick to finish a length in front of American Girl who was a game second.
Miss Millie rounded out the trifecta while Pertty Music had too much ground to make up at the end of the mile and had to settle for fourth. As the heavy betting favourite, the Dan Patch award-winning mare returned $3.60 at the windows.
“The race didn’t work out exactly like I thought,” Tetrick noted after the race. “I didn’t want to be first-up for her first start back but that’s the way it worked out and she overcame it. She did everything I asked and was well within herself at the wire.”
“Brian (Brown) told me she came back well,” he continued. “Tonight, I could tell she’s matured and handled the layoff well. She’s just a great, great mare.”
Colors A Virgin won 13 of 18 starts in 2014 and earned $532,622 for her connections at Emerald Highlands Farm. She captured seven of her last eight starts, including the $178,862 Jugette on September 17 at the Delaware County Fairgrounds.
Trained by Brian Brown, the four-year-old daughter of Always A Virgin-Full Color now sports a lifetime bankroll of $754,822. The winner of 19 career outings has been nominated to races such as the TVG Mares Pace, The Lady Liberty and The Golden Girls for her four-year-old campaign. Tetrick noted Colors A Virgin would likely make her next start at Hoosier Park before heading to Miami Valley Raceway.
The victory was one of six wins for Hoosier Park’s current leading driver, Trace Tetrick, and four training wins for Brian Brown. Brown and Tetrick also teamed up to score with Fits Well and Win The Gold early in the card. Tetrick also found the winner’s circle with Landonfitz for trainer Charlie Stewart and Pleasing Paisley for trainer Tyler George. The Brown, Tetrick combination would strike once more with Do U Mind in the last race of the evening for the Emerald Highlands Farm.
(Hoosier Park)