Watch: 4-Year-Old Equine Worth $770,607 Claims Popular Grade 3 Equestrian Race in Style

Molly Pitcher Stakes is underway at Monmouth Park, New Jersey. This year the value of the grade three event is $500,000. Four-year-old Shotgun Hottie won the stakes, who earlier took home $100,000 in Lady’s Secret Stakes last month, which gave her free entry to the Molly Pitchers Stakes. This win is her first graded stake win.

The $770,607 worth filly Shotgun Hottie is ridden by Paco Lopez with whom she had won the Lady Secret stakes. But, unlike the previous race, she had to struggle at the rear end. However, Shotgum Hottie managed to pull an 8-1 upset at the Molly Pitcher.

Shotgun Hottie wins her first graded stakes

Entering the race after having won the previous race with a comfortable five-a-half-length, Shotgun Hottie had a few takers. The favorite for the race at Monmouth Park was Search Results the last year winner. When the race started in the initial stages of 1 1/16-mile Molly Pitcher, the Brendan Walsh trained horse Loved, took the lead for the first two turns. Shotgun Hottie took the trip at the start of the race and went wide. But instead of rushing into the race, she waited and was last at the first turn. Then she started to approach the race.

The horse started to take the lead from the fifth position and it took her to three wide tussle with Search Results and Loved. Later, La De Vida took over Loved’s position to be in place of contention with the other two. But, Shotgun Hottie had enough power left which held her cruise to the finish line with half a length distance in 1:43.43. The second position went to La De Vida who was at three-quarters of a length with Search Results in third place.

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This is the third victory for Shotgun Hottie in five starts this year. With this win, she took her total career earnings to  $770,607. She is trained by Cherie DeVaux and is owned by Omar Aldabbagh and Jeff Ganje. The win has elevated her trainer and jockey who are optimistic about their future race.

Shotgun Hottie delights trainer and the jockey

Shotgun Hottie provided Paco Lopez with his second victory of the day after he won another race earlier with Forever Souper. Speaking on the victory Paco said, “I loved my position today. My position was great. But I never expected it to happen like that. I got lucky today. I had to wait outside. When we reached the final turn I just let her go“.

He explained his feeling about the initial trip and coming back in the race from the fifth position.  The last time he won with her she took the lead from the start. However, the trainer was cheerful and he knew the horse was ready. He said, “She ran so well in her last start here“. He thanked the other trainer Dan Ward and the team for assisting him in training and looking after Shotgun Hottie after the last race.

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