Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Astute trainer Mike Reed and ace reinsman Shannon Shannon planned to drive smart three-year-old filly Ruby Lou with a sit after starting from barrier No. 5 in the 2130m Odin Consulting Services Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
But a split second decision by Suvaljko to dash Ruby Lou, a $10 chance, straight to the front paid handsome dividends as she scored an effortless victory over Wicked Lover ($9) and Bull Shark Betty ($7.50), with the main fancies Captainshavtime ($3) and Aretha ($2.25) being unplaced.
“Speaking to Mick before the race, he said ‘go back’ and that was the original thought,” explained Suvaljko. “But when Ruby Lou was on the gate, and no other horse was, I changed my mind at the last minute.
“Ruby Lou has good gate speed, but you don’t have to use it every week. Once she got to the lead, and going on her Pinjarra run (second to Aretha), and around this track and running a 40sec. (actually 39.1sec.) lead time, she was going to be hard to beat.
“She was a bit weak early in her career but is a pretty tough filly now. She is no slouch and has won against older horses.”
Friday night’s event was run in Indian file, and after the slow lead time and modest opening quarters of 31.3sec. and 30.5sec. Captainshavtime and Aretha, racing in the last two positions in the field of seven, faced virtually impossible tasks, with Ruby Lou sprinting over the final 400m sections in 28.6sec. and 27.8sec.
Ruby Lou has earned $91,045 from five wins and eight placings from 31 starts.