Despite encountering traffic trouble at the top of the stretch, Sky Mesa’s Paige secured her first stakes victory in the $75,000 Via Borghese S. Dec. 31 at Gulfstream Park.
Paige became Sky Mesa’s 13th black-type winner of 2016 and a milestone 60th lifetime stakes winner for the Three Chimneys stallion, who will stand for a fee of $15,000 stands and nurses in 2017.
Paige closed out her 4-year-old season in thrilling fashion. After breaking very sharply from post nine, jockey Paco Lopez got his mount to the rail going into the first turn. He relinquished the lead, allowing the daughter of Sky Mesa to settle nicely about three lengths off the lead.
Paige began to pick up the pace about three furlongs from home and was right on the leader’s heels at the top of the stretch. Lopez tried to go outside, but was forced back to the rail, where he finally found clear running. Paige did the rest, powering to the front to ultimately win by a half-length.
Paige ran the 1 3/16 miles on the firm turf in 1:54.23 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 91.
“Apparently (Lopez) said he was in big trouble turning for home, but I didn’t see it. I saw a good trip on the rail and everything opened up at the right time,” Paige’s trainer Christophe Clement said.
Paige, who is now 4-3-3 in 15 starts with earnings of $260,844 for owners Jim Wells and Cheyenne Stables, is likely to return to action in the $200,000 La Prevoyante (G3), also at Gulfstream Park, on Jan. 28.
