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Churchill Downs Press Release: Clearview Stable LLC’s Ever So Clever, who broke her maiden first time out near the conclusion of Churchill’s Spring Meet, has returned to seek an even bigger victory over the Churchill Downs main track in Saturday’s $200,000 Pocahontas (GII).
The 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-old fillies is set for Saturday Sept. 17 at a distance of 1 1/16 miles and serves as the first qualifying race on the “Road to the Kentucky Oaks.” The Pocahontas is also a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In test for the 14 Hands Winery Juvenile Fillies (GI), which will be run on Saturday, Nov. 5 at Santa Anita.
The homebred daughter of Medaglia d’Oro won her six-furlong maiden special weight contest at Churchill Downs in runaway fashion, finishing 7 ¼ lengths in front of over eight other 2-year-old fillies.
“I think that Ever So Clever is a very top class filly,” said trainer Steve Asmussen, who will be targeting his third Pocahontas victory. “Obviously with us going in the Pocahontas, we have the comfort of knowing that she likes the racetrack. We expect for her to make a good performance on Saturday.”
While she romped in her career debut, the same could not be said regarding her following start where she was a well-beaten fifth in Saratoga’s Adirondack (GII) on Aug. 19 where she finished 11 ¾ lengths behind eventual winner Nonna Mela.
“It didn’t work out,” Asmussen said. “I’ve learned to not overreact to a good or a bad race at Saratoga. We obviously expected better but hopefully we can back on track on Saturday and I think she’s been waiting for the opportunity to run around two turns.”
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