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Implicated springs 10-1 upset in G3 Pebbles

by Keith McCalmont

Implicated enjoyed a perfect ground-saving trip from the inside post under Manny Franco en route to a smart half-length score in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Pebbles, a one-mile inner turf test for sophomore fillies, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Connect grey, owned by Bradley Thoroughbreds, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Cambron Equine and Laura Leigh Stable, was one of three Chad Brown trainees along with 8-5 mutuel favorite Rhiannon, who finished a wide fifth, and 7-2 third choice Startup Mentality, who closed to complete the trifecta.

Franco, who secured his 2,000th career win last month en route to capturing the recently concluded Belmont at the Big A fall meet title, said he felt comfortable throughout tracking the pacesetting Precious Avary.

“I was able to break sharp and my filly put me in a great position in the turn,” Franco said. “After that, I saw the horse on the lead so my only chance was to get through to the inside and I was glad I had the horse to make the move. She was there for me. I knew the horses from behind would close but, at the same time, it was a flat mile and I knew I had the filly to get there."

Precious Avary, at odds of 53-1 under Silvestre Gonzalez, set splits of 23.91 seconds and 48.69 over the firm footing with Silver Skillet stalking from second position under Joel Rosario and Implicated hugging the rail in fourth to the inside of Rhiannon.

Implicated maintained her position through the final turn and was full of run after cutting the corner to take command at the stretch call. She stayed on strong to the wire to stave off the late run of Sacred Wish and stop the clock in a final time of 1:35.82.

It was a neck back to third-place Startup Mentality, who closed from deep to nose out Silver Skillet with Rhiannon, On the Shortlist, Plentitude, Precious Avary and Stephanie’s Charm rounding out the order of finish. Main-track only entrant Just Katherine was scratched. Precious Avary, who was reported to have bled, was pulled up in the gallop out and vanned off.

Implicated completed a three-race juvenile campaign last October here with a win in the 1 1/16-mile Chelsey Flower. She returned last month off nearly a one-year layoff to finish an even fourth under Jose Ortiz in a nine-furlong optional-claiming tilt against elders.

“I don’t know what happened last time. Maybe she needed the race, but generally my horses don’t first time off a layoff,” Brown said. “The only thing I was thinking about when I spoke to Manny in the paddock was maybe she didn’t like seeing daylight the whole way.

“Jose gave her a great ride last time in the two path clear and out of trouble. It looked comfortable, but maybe it’s just not what the horse wanted to do,” Brown continued. “I think it’s a combination of her needing the race and getting her back covered up. Last year when she ran covered up, she was better. I told Manny in the paddock, ‘You drew a nice, cozy post here. If you can get a pocket trip, let’s test her out.’ I thought I had her ready last time but sure enough, a covered trip worked for her and Manny did a great job."

The George Weaver-trained Sacred Wish was a close second in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks in July over the Saratoga Race Course dirt before winning her turf debut in the Winter Memories here in September. She arrived from a deep-closing fourth in the Grade 3 Valley View on October 27 at Keeneland.

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano said he got the trip he wanted aboard Sacred Wish, closing from sixth to ensure a dramatic finish.

“I wanted to be in a good stalking position off the pace a little bit on the outside and let her run. That’s what I did, but I just got beat,” Castellano said. “The winner got a dream trip along the inside and she got the jump on us.

“I think going 1 1/16 miles, maybe she would have got it done,” he added. “But I like the way she finished and I like the way she ran in the end, we just got beat."

Bred in Kentucky by Somewhere Stables, Implicated banked $110,000 in victory while improving her record to 5-3-0-1. She returned $23.60 for a $2 win bet. The $125,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale purchase is out of the Tale of the Cat mare Wysteria, who is a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Kallio.

Live racing resumes Sunday at Aqueduct with a nine-race card featuring the Grade 3, $300,000 Long Island in Race 4 and the $150,000 Artie Schiller in Race 8. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.  

America’s Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.