Sky wins and Ruby retires

Chicago Sky (Bettor’s Delight) got the bootie in last nights $50,000 Listed Cobbitty Equine Farm ‘Uncut Gems’ Mares Classic at Addington.

Trained by John and Katrina Priced at Winton, the four year old mare settled second last with only the favourite Ruby Roe behind her.

Just Like Jaggar dished up a solid pace which set it up for the swoopers.

“It’s always a worry when you get that far back because you have to pass them all, but they had the gas on,” John said.

Driver Matthew Williamson got Chicago Sky going inside the last 800 metres and she was taken wide. Coming down centre track she got up to beat Just Like Jaggar by three quarters of a length with Ruby Roe (another Price owned pacer) a head back in third, making it a southern trifecta.

“She’s a really good follower of speed and she always relaxes in the running. She went two cracking runs in the Nevele R Fillies and the New Zealand Oaks.”

CHICAGO SKY REPLAY

The winning time was 2-22.4, a mile rate of 1-55.7.

“I think she went pretty good. Matty said she knocked off when she hit the front, like she does.”

The win was her sixth in just twenty starts and takes her stake earnings to over $100,000.

“She’s going to get a month or six weeks out and we’ll bring her up for the mares races. I think there’s going to be a mares race on Show Day and there’s one at Ashburton.”

Chicago Sky’s dam Chicago Blues has an outstanding record at stud, leaving Chicago Bull ($2.4 million), Perfect Stride ($433,682), Rockabilly Blues ($43,980), Chicago Bear ($11,903) and Chicago Sky ($119,640).

“She’ll probably race for another year. She’s got a couple of brothers that have done a pretty good job. Utah Blaze won at Auckland tonight and he’s out of a half- sister, Rockabilly Blues. The family’s going pretty good so we don’t want to over-race her.”

John says despite her ability on the track Chicago Sky hasn’t been easy to make into a racehorse.

“She’s a bit of a handful and gets a bit spooky. She put me in hospital before Christmas, she got a fright and bolted. When I pulled her up she put the boot in and tipped me out of the cart. I got a bit concussed.”

Meanwhile the Prices have decided to retire Ruby Roe and add her to their powerful broodmare band.

“She hasn’t been racing so well latterly so that was her last start, win, loss or draw.”

Ruby Roe retires as an eight win mare and was unlucky not to have won a major mares race.

Her only feature win was the Group Three Wyndham Champagne Stakes. She filled minor placings in the G2 Premier Mares Championship, G2 Mares Spring Sprint, G2 Owners Ladies Sprint, Listed Southern Mares Classic, G1 Queen of Hearts and the G3 Wyndham Champagne Stakes.

“She’s had to start down here from impossible draws which is a downfall of our system, I think. Her average draw has been worst than seven in every race she’s started in. They lose the will to win when they’re chasing all the time. There are plenty of races for mares but they’ve tried to level the playing field by handicapping the better ones out of it, just because of the lack of numbers.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink