Loon Cry collects second straight stakes victory in Saturday’s Sensible Lady Turf Sprint at Laurel Park. Maryland Jockey Club Photo.
Waterville Lake Stables’ homebred Loon Cry took her show on the road again Saturday and extended her win streak to three in the $100,000 Sensible Lady Turf Dash Stakes.
Coming off back-to-back victories in an allowance-optional and the Sweet Briar Too Stakes at Woodbine for trainer Christophe Clement, Loon Cry won the 6-furlong Sensible Lady by a length under Mychel Sanchez.
The 4-year-old daughter of More Than Ready closed from eighth at the half-mile and rallied through the lane to win the 6-furlong turf stakes in 1:08.44 over the firm ground. Queen of the Mud, the 8-5 favorite, finished second, three-quarters of a length in front of 2-1 third choice Love Appeals in third.
Sent off as the 4-1 third choice in the field of 10, Loon Cry settled toward the back of the field early as All That Magic set the pace through the opening splits of :23.34 and :45.60. Eighth through the half, Loon Cry moved into the six path turning for home and gained on the leaders outside the eighth pole.
All That Magic still led by a narrow head at the eighth pole but Loon Cry’s momentum carried her and Sanchez inside the furlong grounds to win going away.
“There was some good speed in the race so [Clement] told me to just get a good break out of the gate and get good position,” Sanchez said. “I was able to do that and save a lot of ground and after the way she’s breezed she gave me a really strong gear to the front.
She’s a fighter. When she goes to the front she was really, really running and then once she knew she won she slowed down like, ‘I got it.’ ”
Loon Cry improved to 7-for-14 with her latest stakes victory and boosted her earnings to $409,999. She’s also placed five times in her career, including a third in the Lady Erie Stakes at Presque Isle Downs. Loon Cry’s 14 starts have come at seven tracks – Aqueduct, Belmont Park, Presque Isle, Saratoga Race Course, Gulfstream Park, Woodbine and Laurel.
Loon Cry prepped for the Sensible Lady with Clement’s string at Belmont Park. She breezed a half in :51.55 August 24 and 5 furlongs in 1:04.45 September 4, both on the training track, in between the Sweet Briar Too and Sensible Lady.
Foaled at Stonewall Farm in Granite Springs, Loon Cry is one of five winners from five to race out of the multiple stakes-placed Bernardini mare Final Escrow, who was also bred by Waterville Lake Stables out of the multiple stakes-placed Escrow Agent.
Escrow Agent is also the dam of dual Grade 1 winner Vicar and stakes winner Sheepscot, who is the dam of Group 1 winner Astronomer Royal and Grade 2 winner Navesink River.
Final Escrow’s other winners are the 3-year-old Nyquist filly Go Ny Go, That’s Smart, Holy Spirit and Seanan. Final Escrow is also the dam of a yearling colt by Liam’s Map who sold for $220,000 to Sackatoga Stable at this year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. She’s also the dam of a New York-bred Good Magic filly born February 18. All were bred by Waterville Lake Stables.
