LOUISVILLE, Ky.— Shedaresthedevil, winner of the 2020 Kentucky Oaks, improved her Churchill Downs record to six wins in seven starts when the 4-year-old filly ran down loose pacesetter Super Quick in deep stretch to win Saturday’s 47th running of the $350,000 Fleur de Lis (Grade II) by 1 ¾ lengths.
Shedaresthedevil clocked 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.17 under Florent Geroux, who rode the winner for trainer Brad Cox and owners Whisper Hill Farm LLC, Qatar Racing Limited and Flurry Racing Stables LLC. It was her first win three starts this year.
“We’re really proud of the race she ran today,” Cox said. “We’ve targeted this race for a long time. She loves it here at Churchill Downs and Florent gave her a perfect ride. It was a tough field, but I had confidence in her when I saw her position going around the turn that she’d have enough left to chase down (Super Quick).”
Super Quick, runaway winner of the Allaire DuPont Distaff (GIII) at Pimlico on Black-Eyed Susan Day, went straight to the front and led the field of five fillies and mares through moderate fractions of :24.13, :47.83 and 1:12.09 as Shedaresthedevil stalked in second. Shedaresthedevil drew even with the weary pacesetter with a furlong to go and edged clear through the final sixteenth of a mile.
“We sat in a perfect position the entire way around the track,” Geroux said. “Inside the eighth pole she started to find her best stride and drew away late. She’s back.”
Shedaresthedevil paid $4.80, $3 and $2.10 as the slight 7-5 favorite. Super Quick, with jockey Joe Talamo aboard, paid $3.20 and $2.60 as the 2-1 third choice. Pauline’s Pearl, the 7-5 second betting choice ridden by Joel Rosario, was another 3 ½ lengths back in third returned $2.10.
She’s All Wolfe and Ava’s Grace rounded out the field.
Shedaresthedevil, a daughter of Daredevil out of the Congrats mare Starship Warpspeed, improved her overall record to 10-3-5 in 20 starts, and the $216,000 first prize boosted her career earnings to $2,729,458. She was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm.
This marked the eighth graded stakes win of Shedaresthedevil’s career. At 3, she won the Honeybee (GIII), Indiana Oaks (GIII) and Kentucky Oaks (GI). Her 2021 campaign featured wins in the Azeri (GII), La Troienne (GI), Clement L. Hirsch (GI) and Locust Grove (GIII).
The Fleur de Lis is part of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen where a portion of entry fees will be paid to the top three finishers toward the $2 million Distaff (GI) held on Nov. 5 at Keeneland.
FLEUR DE LIS QUOTES
Florent Geroux. (jockey, Shedaresthedevil, winner) – “We sat in a perfect position the entire way around the track. Inside the eighth pole she started to find her best stride and drew away late. She’s back.”
Brad Cox (trainer, Shedaresthedevil, winner) – “We’re really proud of the race she ran today. We’ve targeted this race for a long time. She loves it here at Churchill Downs and Florent gave her a perfect ride. It was a tough field but I had confidence in her when I saw her position going around the turn that she’d have enough left to chase down (Super Quick).”
Norm Casse (trainer, Super Quick, runner-up) – “We’re really proud of her effort today. I think she’s just getting started. This was a really talented field of fillies and mares and she showed she can compete with the best of them.”
Churchill Downs Press Release
Photo by Coady Photography
