Florida-bred Coastal Sunrise was the 2-1 morning line favorite in $50,000 Xtra Heat Stakes run over six furlongs at Delaware Park in Willmington, Del., Saturday, but the wagering public let her slip to the second choice and 3-1 at post time. And the Tom Amoss trainee made the doubters pay.
Breaking from post seven under jockey Javier Santiago, Coastal Sunrise shot to the lead and put a length on her competitors before she ran the first quarter-mile in a quick :21.99 with the trio of third-choice Ganesha, 5-1 shot Doubled and She’s All Scat, also at 5-1, giving chase in tandem. Around the turn, She’s All Scat did the best of keeping pace behind Coastal Sunrise while Doubled and Ganesha were starting to get passed by long shot Carry the Torch.
As they turned for home after a half-mile in slower :45.85, Coastal Sunrise had more than three lengths on She’s All Scat with Carry the Torch still making up ground while four-wide and Disco Barbie making her rally noticed from last-place, where she was as late as the half-mile pole. Down the stretch, Carry the Torch, She’s All Scat and Disco Barbie all made their runs at Coastal Sunrise but at the wire, Coastal Sunrise was still a length and three-quarters in front with Carry the Torch in second, a neck in front of Disco Barbie in third and She’s All Scat also right there in fourth. Doubled was further back in fifth with Ganesha in last in the field of eight. The final time was 1:11.65 over the fast track.
It was the third win from four starts for Coastal Sunrise, a daughter of Congrats and the Kissin Kris mare Kisses and Hugs. Bred in Florida by Richard E. Wilson of Reddick, Coastal Sunrise had won at first asking in a maiden special weight contest at Hoosier Park in Anderson, Ind., on Aug. 1. Stepping up to allowance class at Prisque Isle Downs in Erie, Pa., in her second start, she appeared not to like the Polytrack surface there and faded to fourth after leading early. She returned to Hoosier Park in her next start and demolished a group of $50,000 optional claimers at even odds, leading all the way and finishing ten lengths in front of second-place finisher Mein Fancy.
The $30,000 first-place check increased Coastal Fancy’s earnings to $78,400 and to those who stuck with her at the windows received $8.20 for every $2 bet to win, $5.20 to place and $3.40 to show. Carry the Torch was let go with 18-1 odds and her supporters got back $10.00 for their $2 place tickets and $6.40 to show and the two combined for a nice $46.20 for the $1 exacta. A show ticket on Disco Barbie was not quite worth her namesake, returning $2.40 to show.
Photo by Keeneland/Coady
