Isabella Sings Springs 27-1 Surprise in Grade II Mrs. Revere

Nov 14, 2015 Darren Rogers

Isabella Sings, a homebred 3-year-old filly for Anthony Manganaro’s Siena Farm conditioned by the nation’s perennial leading trainer Todd Pletcher, scored a 27-1 surprise victory in Saturday’s 25^th running of the $200,000 Mrs. Revere (Grade II) at Churchill Downs with a front-running, half-length triumph over a hard-charging Rainha Da Bateria.

Ridden by Paco Lopez, Isabella Sings ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.74 over a Matt Winn Turf Course rated “good” to collect the first graded stakes win of her 11-race career. The Mrs. Revere is North America’s final graded stakes of the year for 3-year-old fillies on grass turf this year, and has attracted a full field of 14 for each of the last three years.

“She had been training really well and coming into it in good shape and we felt like she had a fighting chance in what appeared to be a deep and competitive field,” Pletcher said.

Pletcher, who began the day atop the national earnings list for trainers with $23.4 million, added to that total as Isabella Sings banked the $112,840 first prize. Her backers were rewarded with $56.60, $28.80 and $15.80 – the second longest-priced horse to win the Mrs. Revere, only behind 2002 winner Caught in the Rain who paid $66.20 for a $2 win bet.

Isabella Sings led the cast of 14 fillies through fractions of :23.50, :48.07 and 1:13.41. She had a two-length lead over Celestine and Cara Marie down the backstretch, shifted wide into the turn with Lopez confidently looking back over his right shoulder and remained clear in the stretch to hold off a rallying Rainha Da Bateria, who had one horse beat midway through the race.

“She can be kind of a headstrong filly and Paco was able to kind of coax her along a bit and get her to settle,” Pletcher said. “The first quarter was solid, but then they were able to talk her out of it and get a kind second quarter. It looked like it was game on from there. I was hoping she could continue on.”

Rainha Da Bateria, a 44-1 longshot under Robby Albarado, paid $30.60 and $14.80. Devine Aida, the 6-1 fourth betting choice, was another 3 ¾ lengths in third under Joe Bravo and paid $6.60.

Season Ticket, the Chad Brown-trained duo of Partisan Politics and Tammy the Torpedo, Bobbi Grace (IRE), Return to Grace, 2-1 favorite Onus, Celestine, Cara Marie, Robillard, Prado’s Sweet Ride and Kathballu completed the order of finish. Darling Sky, America Mon Amie, Urtheoneeyelove and Wiener Valkyrie (GB) were scratched.

The winner’s share of the purse pushed Isabella Sings’ earnings to $303,950 from four wins and three seconds in 11 starts.

Isabella Springs, a chestnut daughter of Eskendereya out of the Lomitas (GB) mare Isobel Baillie (GB), was bred in Kentucky by her owners.

“She’ll get a break at Siena Farm,” Pletcher said. “She’ll go over there and get a bit of a freshening, which we already had planned win, lose or draw. She’ll get a little bit of a break and she’s the kind of filly that should get better as a 4-year-old. She’s put together a few solid races this year and with her pedigree she should have hopefully her best year next year.”

The Mrs. Revere is named in honor of Mrs. Revere, an accomplished Churchill Downs fan favorite in the mid-1980s. Mrs. Revere won 12 races in 28 starts, finished second seven times and earned $429,545 for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Her six wins in a dozen starts at Churchill Downs included stakes triumphs in the Regret, Dogwood and Edgewood in 1984 and the Kentucky Cardinal in 1985. She was owned by Drs. David Richardson and Hiram Polk, who have provided the winner’s trophy for the Mrs. Revere in each year of its existence.

Racing at Churchill Downs continues Sunday with an 11-race card that begins at 12:40 p.m. (all times Eastern). There’s a fast-growing, five-day carryover of $74,569 in the 20-cent minimum “Single 6 Jackpot.” Offered on the last six races (it begins with Race 6 at 3:15 p.m.), the Single 6 Jackpot has a low 15-percent takeout and the jackpot will be paid out only if there is a single winning wager with six winners placed at the required minimum bet value. If there are multiple winning wagers with six winners in the six-race sequence, 90 percent of the net money wagering into the pool will be paid out, and the remaining 10 percent will carry to the Single 6 Jackpot. If there are no tickets will all six winners, 100 percent of the pool will carry to the Single 6 Jackpot.

MRS. REVERE QUOTES

TODD PLETCHER (via telephone), trainer of ISABELLA SINGS (winner): “She can be kind of a headstrong filly and Paco [Lopez] was able to kind of coax her along a bit and get her to settle. The first quarter was solid, but then they were able to talk her out of it and get a kind second quarter. It looked like it was game on from there. I was hoping she could continue on. She had been training really well and coming into it in good shape and we felt like she had a fighting chance in what appeared to be a deep and competitive field.

“She’ll get a break at Siena Farm. She’ll go over there and get a bit of a freshening, which we already had planned win, lose or draw. She’ll get a little bit of a break and she’s the kind of filly that should get better as a 4-year-old. She’s put together a few solid races this year and with her pedigree she should have hopefully her best year next year.”

PACO LOPEZ jockey of ISABELLA SINGS (winner): “Today she was very relaxed and she finished really well. This filly is a nice filly.”

NACHO PATINO, co-owner of ISABELLA SINGS (winner): “I was watching the times because I think if she can do :23, :24 and maybe :47 and :48, and when I saw the half in :48 and 1:13, I thought, ‘Ah, they might not catch her now,’ because she’s got the speed to finish up. It’s just as long as she gets a little bit of a breather, she likes to run in front. So when I saw the times, I thought we had a good chance. I was thinking they were going to push her but it seemed like they just let her settle down, I was happy just looking at the times.”

GRAHAM MOTION (via telephone), trainer of RAINHA DA BATERIA (runner-up): “I think she’s improving. She’s finally putting it together. Although she won a stake last year, I think she’s been a little unlucky this year and she keeps improving. Even in her last race (fourth in Laurel’s Commonwealth Oaks) at Laurel I thought she was very unlucky. She just has not been a filly that gets a good trip.”

Q: What is the plan for her now? Will she be back next year? “I’m kind of hoping so. I think we’re going to send her to the farm and maybe give her a little break and then make a decision.”

ROBBY ALBARADO, jockey on RAINHA DA BETERIA (runner-up): “I had an unbelievable trip. All of the horses I had to go through – she was way back there. I did think I gave myself or her a fair chance if I had to go around horses, so I tried to save as much ground as possible. And we did and ended up with a beautiful trip. Graham (Motion) said she’s been getting some trouble trips and deserved better. She ran big.”

JOE BRAVO, rider of DEVINE AIDA (third): “She settled good. She doesn’t have a big turn-of-foot, but she kept getting to ‘em. She’s got a big future.”

CHAD BROWN (via telephone), trainer of favored PARTISAN POLITICS (3-1 favorite, 5th) and TAMMY THE TORPEDO (6th): “It seemed like the frontrunner (winner Isabella Sings) kept on going. Partisan Politics had a little bit of a wide trip. They sort of ran even, both of them.”