BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Sister Otoole went from last to first with a sweeping seven-wide move in the final turn and ran down Paris Peacock (Ire) inside the last eighth of a mile to win the $100,000 CTT and TOC at Del Mar on Friday for the second consecutive year. Ridden by Antonio Fresu, Sister Otoole defeated eight other fillies and mares, 3-years-old and older, winning by a length-and-a-quarter after a mile-and-three-eighths on the turf.
Trained by Graham Motion for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Sister Otoole was last through the first mile-and-an-eighth as Paris Peacock and Drayden Van Dyke set quarter-mile fractions of :25.79, 50.69, 1:15.78 and the mile in 1:40.65. Paris Peacock continued to show the way in the run for home when Sister Otoole jetted down the middle of the track through the stretch to win going away in 1:17.45.
Eylara (Ire) was second with 2-1 favorite Neige Blanche (Fr) third. Paris Peacock held on for fourth followed by Symphony Perfect (Ire), Myfavoritedaughter and Queen Ofthe Temple. Happy Happy and Oakhurst were scratched.
Sister Otoole paid $12.60 to win.
Making just her second start of the year after finishing fifth in an $80,000 optional claiming won by Salimah (Ire) going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the inner turf at Saratoga on July 12, Sister Otoole improved her career ledger to four wins, five seconds and four thirds in 21 starts with earnings of $395,470. She is graded-stakes placed with seconds in the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial at Delaware Park last year and in the Grade 3 Maple Leaf at Woodbine in 2021. She was also third in the Grade 3 Rood and Riddle Dowager at Keeneland last year.
Sister Otoole was bred in Florida by Helen and Joseph Barbazon and is by Amira’s Prince (Ire), who stands at their Pleasant Acres Stallions in Morriston, Fla. Sister Otoole is out of the unraced Distorted Humor mare O’ Toole, who has also produced Florida-bred Lady O’Toole, by Colonel John, winner of the 2017 Happy Ticket at Louisiana Downs. O’ Toole has seven winners from eight starters plus an unnamed yearling colt by Gun Runner and an unnamed weanling colt by Neolithic, the 2021 champion freshman sire in Florida who stands at Pleasant Acres Stallions. O’ Toole was bred to Uncle Mo in 2023. The Gun Runner colt was bred in Florida by the Gun Runner Syndicate with Helen and Joseph Barbazon; and the Barbazons bred the Neolithic colt in Florida.