Stepping up into graded stakes competition in just her second start and racing against colts, the Harlan’s Holiday filly Necessary Evil was very impressive Sunday as she cruised to an easy victory in the $100,000 Hollywood Juvenile Championship Stakes (G3) at Hollywood Park.
Here’s the chart call:
“NECESSARY EVIL broke in a bit, went up inside to the early lead, set the pace along the rail, came out a bit into the stretch, drifted back in a little and won clear under a couple left handed cracks of the whip and a strong hand ride.”
Necessary Evil traveled the six furlongs in 1:09.98 setting fractions of :22.36, :45.73 and :57.58 en route to a three-length victory over second-place finisher Zip Quick. Classical Slew finished another one and one-quarter lengths back in third place.
Necessary Evil is a fast filly but I think that she will relish running farther and it will be fun to watch her for the remainder of the two-year-old season.
Harlan’s Holiday, her sire, was a formidable grade one stakes winning colt winning the 9 furlong Florida Derby by three and one-half lengths and the Toyota Bluegrass Stakes by four and one-half lengths.
In just his first crop, Harlan’s Holiday sired the impressive Denis Of Cork who thrilled racing fans with his performances on the 2008 Triple Crown trail finishing 3rd in the Kentucky Derby and 2nd in the Belmont Stakes; and, he also sired Into Mischief – winner of the 8.5 furlong CashCall Futurity (G1).
Harlan’s Holiday has yet to sire a Classic Champion Thoroughbred but with just three crops of runners he’s off to a good start.
Necessary Evil’s damsire, Unbridled’s Song, was also a formidable middle-distance graded stakes winner who won the 8.5 furlong Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He also won the 9 furlong Florida Derby (G1) and the Wood Memorial Stakes – a G2 race when Unbridled’s Song won in 1996 but upgraded to G1 in 2002.
In ten crops of runners, Unbridled’s Song has yet to sire a Classic Champion Thoroughbred but he has sired six $1 million stakes winners:
Unbridled Elaine – winner of the 9 furlong 2001 Breeders’ Cup Distaff; Agnes Sonic – champion thoroughbred in Japan; Octave – winner of the 9 furlong 2007 Mother Goose Stakes and the 10 furlong Coaching Club American Oaks; Midshipman – winner of the 8.5 furlong 2008 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile; Grey Song (AUS) – winner of the 14 furlong 2002 VCR St. Leger Stakes; Thorn Song – winner of 8 furlong 2008 Firecracker Breeders’ Cup Handicap and the Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes.
In addition, Unbridled’s Song has sired some very good graded stakes runners:
Even The Score – winner of the 9 furlong 2004 Californian Stakes, the 8.5 furlong Mervyn LeRoy Handicap and the 2003 Mardi Gras Handicap; Splendid Blended – winner of the 8.5 furlong 2004 Hollywood Starlet Stakes and the 9 furlong 2005 Vanity Invitational Handicap; Eight Belles – winner of the 2008 Honeybee Stakes, Martha Washington Stakes, 8.5 furlong Fantasy Stakes and ill-fated 2nd place finisher in the Kentucky Derby; Domestic Dispute – winner of 8.5 furlong 2003 Santa Catalina Stakes; Eurosilver – winner of the 8.5 furlong Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity Stakes and the 9.5 furlong 2005 Skip Away Handicap; Political Force – winner of the 10 furlong 2007 Suburban Handicap; Old Fashioned – winner of the 9 furlong Remsen Stakes, 2nd place finisher in the 8.5 furlong Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby; First Defence – winner of the 8.5 furlong 2007 Long Branch Cup Stakes; Buddha – winner of the 9 furlong 2002 Wood Memorial Stakes; Rockport Harbor – winner of the 9 furlong 2004 Remsen Stakes and the 8 furlong Nashua Stakes; Honest Man – winner of the 9 furlong 2008 Philip H. Iselin Handicap; Dunkirk – 2nd place finisher in the 9 furlong 2009 Florida Derby and 12 furlong Belmont.
So, as you can see, Harlan’s Holiday and Unbridled’s Song impart stamina to Necessary Evil - only time will tell how far she wants to run.
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