KENTUCKY-BRED mare Ready Signal’s win in last weekend’s Ten Palms Stakes in Florida sees her become stakeswinner number 124 for her sire More Than Ready.
It was a welcome win after near misses in Gr.1 Victorian Sprints by More Than Ready pair Knoydart and Samaready in recent weeks.
Ready Signal’s elevation to black-type winner comes as just reward for her career long consistency including a close second in the Listed Ginger Brew Stakes at Florida’s Gulfstream Park.
Since graduating in October 2011, Ready Signal had tallied just one victory, which came in a Saratoga allowance Aug. 25. The Hardacre colorbearer has since finished third in a Belmont optional claimer Sept. 18,
10th in the South Beach S. Dec. 11 and was second in an optional claimer here Jan. 24. The chestnut rated along the rail in midpack down the backstretch in this one. She angled out to the three path at the top of
the straight and charged up to take the lead from Byrama, who was rallying up the hedge, and Angel’s South.
“She’s my high-maintenance chick in the barn,” owner/trainer Amy Tarrant told Thoroughbred Daily News.
“(Before the race] I was very concerned. It was hot and she didn’t clean up her food. I’m a mother, I worry about everything. But she did a great job and Edgar [Prado] gave her a great ride and did
everything he needed to do to win. I knew if she ran her best race and got a good trip that she could win it and she did.
As for future plans, Tarrant noted, “I don’t know. Remember she’s five, I might send her to the breeding shed. No matter what, she to enjoy it. I love this horse.”
While Ready Signal’s weekend victory gave More Than Ready fans something to cheer about, they would have been cursing their luck after crack sprinter Knoydart’s luckless third in the Group 1 MRC Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield.
The Peter Snowden trained galloper was slow to move and was always well back in the run.
Knoydart was among the widest runners into the bend but finished gamely to take third place in the $500,000 feature.
The gelding will have another chance at Group 1 glory if and when he contests the Group 1 VRC Newmarket Handicap (1200m) where he will have to overcome the likes of Samaready.
