Deja vu: Miss Isella and Calvin

[Glimmerglass]

Back on Kentucky Oaks day (May 1) as part of the undercard Zenyatta was supposed to make her 2009 start in the Grade 2 Louisville Stakes. She skipped due to the off track but after seeing the amazing work by Miss Isella in that race it was very possible that Zenyatta could've been beat.

The race that did occur (http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showpost.php?p=4062592&postcount=29) was brilliant and pure forshadowing of what Calvin would do a day later in the Derby. Miss Isella was squeezed like a tube of toothaste on the rail against a much large filly. But she "got it done" ...

Video replay:Louisville Stakes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKsxeIXZ9FA) which is worth watching.

Churchill race caller, Mark Johnson, rightfully called it a slugfest.

So with her return to the track today in the Grade 2, $200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap with Calvin up again would you think lightening can strike twice with the same exact type of effort? Oh indeed!

The replay is available and her effort is a must see - seriously! Damn that little gray filly has got stones as does Calvin for what he does with her. She bounces hard off the rail and just keeps going like a Swiss watch.

Video link - at right on this page: G2 Fleur de Lis Hndcp (http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/race/USA/CD/2009/6/13/9/fleur-de-lis-h-gr-2)

[ASB Stars]

Lordy!! What guts and class-heck, both of them! Calvin, and that amazing filly!

That filly was terrific, and Calvin gav her a heck of a ride-- did they do anything regarding the obvious interference from the other horse? Or perhas, only if she had gotten beat...

[Barnfairy]

Holy smokes, that girl's got some heart.

And I am liking that Mark Johnson. Good call on him. (oops...punny!)

[Glimmerglass]

... did they do anything regarding the obvious interference from the other horse?

HRTV's Stevens and Laffit Pincay III talked about that too but alas no call was made or even inquiry sign by Churchill. They assumed that the jock on Distinctive Dixie will get an invitation tomorrow to meet with the stewards to review.

Article: DRF June 13 "Miss Isella shows grit in Fleur de Lis" (http://drf.com/news/article/104647.html)

Bulling her way through along the rail, even as the pacesetting Distinctive Dixie drifted and made contact with Miss Isella in early stretch, Miss Isella simply grew more determined, surging to the front and outgaming Swift Temper by three-quarters of a length in a long stretch duel.

"When I got up in the hole, Distinctive Dixie kind of came down and shut me off," said Borel. "She brushed my filly a little bit, but I had a lot of room when I drove her in there."

Classic - "brushed my filly" :D

[texang73]

That was one hell of a brush! :eek: What a classy, gutsy little girl! VERY nice. :yes:

[Barnfairy]

Classic - "brushed my filly" :D

Tee hee, yeah, if by "brushed" he means as in brushed by a street sweeper (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3270/2975887196_0109f363c6.jpg?v=0)!

[mroades]

I saw the race live...and dang that filly has heart. Most would have either flipped over the danged fence or stopped.
It was actually a great day of racing...lots of guts and heart today!

[mroades]

oh, and did ya notice? He made just as big of a fuss over that filly as he did MTB on Derby day...that was cool.

[LaurieB]

I don't think Borel showed guts or class in today's race. That was dangerous riding from a jock who only knows one trick. Right now, it's working for him; someday he's going to flip over the rail--and take his poor innocent horse with him. :mad:

[Calena]

Nice little filly. I love love love the gutsy racehorses that just want to win sssoooo bbaaddd. Nothing better than that :D.

This is turning into the year of 'they be little, but they be tough!' Look out :lol:.

[Glimmerglass]

Expect her at Saratoga this summer! (http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/51228/miss-isella-takes-jolt-wins-fleur-de-lis)

A homebred of Domino Stud of Lexington, Miss Isella is trained by Ian Wilkes. She won for the sixth time in 15 starts and has earned $568,631. The gray/roan filly, who is out of the Last Tycoon mare La Cucina, is 5-for-7 in her career at Churchill.

“I’ve got no plans yet but I do want to take her to Saratoga and take a shot at some grade Is.”

[SeeHowSheRuns]

I don't think Borel showed guts or class in today's race. That was dangerous riding from a jock who only knows one trick. Right now, it's working for him; someday he's going to flip over the rail--and take his poor innocent horse with him. :mad:

Watch it again, he was in there and had the hole he needed, and that other filly came over on them.
I imagine that other jock will get talked to about that ride.
Brilliant ride, gutsy filly.

[LaurieB]

Watch it again, he was in there and had the hole he needed, and that other filly came over on them.
I imagine that other jock will get talked to about that ride.
Brilliant ride, gutsy filly.

I did actually watch it several times, a friend of mine had a filly in the race. Borel was in there and he made the hole he needed. I'd be very surprised if both jockeys don't get talked to about their rides.

And yes, the filly is very gutsy. I just wish her jockey had enough faith in her than to think that the only way she can win is to skim the rail.

[Texarkana]

I don't think Borel showed guts or class in today's race. That was dangerous riding from a jock who only knows one trick. Right now, it's working for him; someday he's going to flip over the rail--and take his poor innocent horse with him. :mad:

I totally agree.

Plus, there were 4 horses shoulder to shoulder. If Miss Isella and Distinctive Dixie clipped heels or if Distinctive Dixie had jumped wide when bumped, it would have been an ugly, ugly wreck.

I think Calvin is great, but regularly diving through too small holes on the rail is neither safe nor smart. And I can't imagine the stewards keeping their mouths shut for too long.

[FlowerEssence]

I adore Miss Isella. I've always liked Silver Charm and have been sad about his lack of success as a stud, but if Miss I wins a G.I I believe she'll be SC's first one.