Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
A slow lead time of 38.5sec. and modest opening quarters of 31.4sec. and 30.8sec. paved the way for Soho Seraphine’s easy victory in the $30,000 Nova 93.7 The Lewis Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Soho Seraphine, the $1.30 favourite, then sprinted over the final 400m sections in 28.6sec. and 28.2sec. and won by two lengths from $6 second fancy Wall Street Girl, who trailed the pacemaking Soho Seraphine all the way. Little Darling ($12) ran on from ninth at the bell to finish third.
Soho Seraphine, trained by Kim Prentice, gave Mitch Miller an armchair drive, with Miller saying that the four-year-old had derived great benefit from her first-up effort a week earlier when she set the pace and wilted to dead-heat for fourth behind Acharne Girl in a Group 3 events for mares.
“Last week we knew that she was a run short, and she overraced, and Junior (Gary Hall Jnr) drove a good race (with Three Rumours applying plenty of pressure in the breeze) to bring us undone,” said Miller.
“This week we were quite confident Soho Seraphine would improve on her run last week. She drove a lot nicer and was a completely different horse. She got things her own way and was entitled to win the way she did.
“Her gate speed will be a major asset. She has been a leader for most of her career but up against the better mares in better races we might be able to take a sit with her. At home, she shows that she can reel off some nice quarters.”
Soho Seraphine is by American stallion Betting Line and is the first foal out of the Mach Three mare Angel Bromac, who raced 14 times for four wins, five placings and $56,500. In 2016 Angel Bromac finished second to Lady Luca in the group 1 Diamond Classic and second to Maczaffair in the Group 3 Gold Bracelet.