Paradise Farms and David Staudacher's Lady Scarlet notched her first career stakes victory in $100,000 Cicada Stakes, a six-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies March19 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by Mike Maker, the Kentucky-bred daughter of Union Rags entered off a close victory in an optional claiming sprint on Feb. 26 at Oaklawn Park where she stalked the pace in third before rallying home to a half-length victory.
Lady Scarlet broke alertly from the outermost post 6 with Kendrick Carmouche up and settled in behind the pace set by the Eric Cancel-piloted Lady Milagro. Lady Scarlet tracked in third down the backstretch to the outside of Monshun while Lady Milagro recorded splits of :22.19 for the opening quarter-mile and :45.73 for the half-mile over the fast main track.
Lady Scarlet made up ground while wide entering the turn as the Dylan Davis-piloted Monshun came under a ride. With Lady Milagro tiring to her inside, Lady Scarlet came away with the advantage at the top of the lane and continued to find more down the center of the track, sprinting away to a 4 3/4 length score in a final time of 1:11.17.
Monshun held place honors by 4 1/2 lengths ahead of the late-closing Rosebug, who was compromised at the start. Lady Milagro, Sweet Solare, and Exxaltress completed the order of finish.
Carmouche, who rode Lady Scarlet for the first time, said the outside post position was helpful.
"I had the perfect outlook on everything," said Carmouche. "I just had to make sure I keep her aggressive enough to keep with the two horses in front of me and keep the other ones inside.
"She leveled off pretty good and she galloped out nice and easy," Carmouche added. "Just enough to let you know maybe you can get her away from the speed where she can carry it a bit further."
Monshun, trained by Ray Handal, made her first start since a debut maiden win sprinting six furlongs at Saratoga Race Course in August. Davis said the daughter of Unified was game in defeat.
"I was very happy with her," said Davis. "She breezed well for the set up for here. She broke sharp, the four (Lady Milagro) went up there and I just wanted my filly to relax a little bit. She was pretty game. Even though Kendrick went by, she was honest all the way through the wire."
Lady Scarlet was bred in Kentucky by Elm Tree Farm and is out of the winning Include mare Exclude, the dam of two winners from three foals to run. Exclude has an unraced 2-year-old filly named Exclusively Kelly (Street Sense ) and a yearling filly by Cairo Prince . She was bred to Volatile for the 2022 breeding season.
