Big Brown Filly Blows Them Away at Belmont
Article by Thoroughbred Daily News
Donegal Racing’s Puca (f, 2, Big Brown–Boat’s Ghost, by Silver Ghost) displayed versatility reminiscent of her GI Kentucky Derby-winning sire and blew her rivals away by 16 1/4 lengths to earn her diploma and a TDN Rising Star Wednesday afternoon at Belmont Park. Puca allowed some early traffic to clear and was a stalking fourth upon settling before tugging Junior Alvarado up into third as favored Cara Marie (Unbridled’s Song) dictated things up front. But that pacesetter had called it a day midway on the turn, and Puca, hard against the bit every step of the way, overtook I’m a Lucky Girl (Broken Vow) at the head of the lane and turned on the afterburners in the stretch under a moderate hand ride as the 5-2 third choice. Cover Up (Tapit) was a distant runner-up as the 2-1 second favorite. A debut seventh sprinting over the Saratoga main track Aug. 10, the half-sister to connections’ Grade I-placed turfer Finnegans Wake (Powerscourt {GB}) switched surfaces and stretched out for her latest, a strong-finishing third behind Sunday’s GIII Miss Grillo S. heroine Lady Eli (Divine Park) at the Spa Aug. 25. Lifetime Record: 3-1-0-1, $53,632. O-Donegal Racing. B-Jerry Crawford & Paul Pompa Jr (KY). T-William I Mott.
