Havre de Grace holds on to win Woodward Stakes
September 3, 2011SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) - Havre de Grace held off a late bid by Flat Out and defeated males in her first attempt Saturday in the $750,000 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.
Ramon Dominguez was aboard the 4-year-old filly, the second female to win the Woodward in three years. Rachel Alexandra, a 3-year-old, defeated older males in this race two years ago en route to being voted Horse of the Year. The Larry Jones-trained Havre de Grace ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.18, taking the lead with three-sixteenths of a mile to run and finishing 1 1/4 lengths clear.
Havre de Grace, now winner of four races from five starts this season and the nation's second-ranked older female behind her rival, Blind Luck, earned $450,000 for Fox Hill Farm. She paid $6.50, $3.50 and $2.10. Flat Out returned $3.70 and $2.50 and Rule, third of eight, paid $2.70 to show.