Gestuet Auenquelle-bred five-year-old SOLDIER HOLLOW daughter VIRGINIA JOY romped to a terrific victory in tonight's $600,000 Flower Bowl Stakes at Saratoga. In doing so, the 2020 German Oaks third benefited from a tactically perfect ride by top jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. who sent the mare straight to the lead out of the starting gate. 2200 meters later, she was still there, fiercely defending it against the late charge of the heavily favorized War Like Goddess by a neck.
This was already VIRGINIA JOY's third Group win in the US. The mare moved across the Atlantic as an Arqana's top seller and is trained there by Chad Brown for Peter Brant. The victory was also worth a Breeders' Cup Challenge berth into the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (Gr.1) at Keeneland on Nov. 5.
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