Alicia Wincze is the turf writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader. She started riding at age 8 and was a four-year member of the Pace University equestrian team.
Life Is Sweet too good in Ladies’ Classic
Posted by Alicia Wincze on November 6, 2009
A looming filly from the barn of John Shirreffs has done it again. Life Is Sweet, who has been in the shadow of stablemate and 2008 Ladies’ Classic winner Zenyatta all year, exploded from last in the eight-horse field to win this year’s running of the $2 million race by 2 1/2 lengths over Mushka.
Channeling a cue from her undefeated barn mate, Life Is Sweet was content to hang back while 3-year-old Careless Jewel tried to steal things on the front end, opening up by nearly seven lengths at one point down the backside while setting fractions of :23.50 and :45.78.
Careless Jewel began to shorten her stride approaching the turn for home and when they hit the lane, Life Is Sweet turned into overdrive. With Garrett Gomez up, the four-year-old daughter of Storm Cat surged up on the extreme outside to outlast the equally late running Mushka moving just to her inside and Music Note, who finished third in the Ladies’ Classic for a second consecutive season.
Final time for the 1 1/8-miles was 1:48.58.
