With heavy rains and flashing lighting making its way through Colonial Downs, Lady Digby came three-wide into the stretch, overtook pacesetter Eclisse near the eighth-pole and dew clear to win the $200,000 All Along Stakes (gr. IIIT) (VIDEO) by 2 1/4 lengths.
Going off as the 4-1 third choice, Lady Digby earned her first graded stakes for owner-breeder Earle Mack and handed trainer Graham Motion his fourth All Along triumph. The 4-year-old Grand Slam filly completed the 1 1/8 miles under Jeremy Rose in 1:52.19. The turf was labeled ‘good.’
Eclisse, who did all of the early work, held on gamely for second under Elvis Trujillo at odds of 8-1. Rutherienne, the overwhelming 3-5 favorite who won the Jenny Wiley Stakes (gr. IIT) eat Keeneland earlier in the season, rallied for third, but was never a factor to take top prize. Dancing Band was fourth.
Lady Digby entered the race off a runner-up performance in the May 17 Gallorette (gr. IIIT) at Pimlico, where she finished a half-length back of Roshani. Prior to that she captured the April 12 Dahlia Stakes at Laurel Park, which was the first blacktype win of her career.
Trujillo sent Eclisse right to the front from post four, and the Ski Chief filly was all alone through the backstretch. She posted soft fractions of :24.82, :48.84 and 1:14.19, while High Moment stalked the pace. Lady Digby was third through much of the early going.
Eclisse was still going strong when she came out of the turn, but Lady Digby was also full of run when she straightened away and caught the leader at the top of the stretch. She drove to the wire under left-handed urging much the best.
Bred in Kentucky by Mack, Lady Digby is out of the El Prado mare Compete. She was offered for $10,000 at the Keeneland 2005 September yearling sale but the reserve was not met. The bay filly won an allowance event at Colonial Downs last summer in her only other effort over the course.
Now with a 4-4-2 mark from 12 starts, Lady Digby has earned $304,252.
The winner returned $10.20, $5 and $3.20. The exacta (2-4) was worth $65, while the trifecta (2-4-9) paid $197.60.
J’ray was fifth, followed by Royal Pleasure and High Moment. Indescribable, Palmilla and Valbenny were scratched.
(Chart, Equibase)
