Breeder-owner-trainer Shane Quadrio was delighted with Black Jack Baby’s dazzling performance to charge home from last at the 400m to score an effortless victory in the 2130m Direct Trades Supply sales@dtswa.com.au Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night, and he predicted the filly would be even better for the $150,000 WA Oaks on April 9.
“She came into this race probably about 80 per cent fit, so there’s a fair bit of improvement left in her,” he said, adding that he and his son Dylan had decided to give her a week off after her third placing behind Rumour Has It in the Daintys Daughter Classic three weeks earlier.
“We had the Oaks in mind, so we didn’t want to get her too tight before the classic. And she has come through after this win just fine, and her heart rate was fantastic.”
Star reinsman Chris Voak originally planned to charge forward from the outside barrier in the field of six in a bid to set the pace. But when Quadrio informed him that the filly had been given a brief let-up, he altered his plans.
“That’s why I went back,” Voak said. “And she hit the line strongly, so it’s onwards and upwards towards the Oaks. She has got such high speed which enables her to get out of a tight spot. She can corner like no other filly I have driven. She can take ground off the leaders on the bend when out four wide.”
Ryan Warwick set $7.50 chance Unconditional alight early from barrier five and she swept past Our Shooting Star after 150m in a slow lead time of 37.9sec., followed by an extremely slow opening 400m section of the final mile in 33.3sec., followed by a 30.4sec. quarter.
The third quarter was run in 28.2sec. and thew last section took 28.4sec. Voak sent Black Jack Baby, the $1.20 favourite, forward, three wide, at the 400m, and the filly sprinted brilliantly to hit the front with 250m to travel before winning by a length and a half from $10 chance Joelene, who raced without cover over the final 1200m.
Black Jack Baby now has had 17 starts for ten wins, four placings and $140,320 in prizemoney, as well as several thousand more dollars in Westbred bonuses. “She is proving that she is not just a two-year-old,” said Voak. “She’s going on with the business at three.”
By Ken Casellas