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Pick Pony | Sept. 30, 2024, 1:48 p.m.
Holly Dolly had never competed in stakes company before Sunday. However, she found it to her liking, winning the $50,000 Flashy Lady Handicap with her strong closing kick at Remington Park under jockey Iram Diego on Oklahoma Derby Day.
The 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Brody’s Cause, from the Arch mare Pinch Me, let her opponents battle on the front end and then pounced as she turned for home, passing both and drawing away for the victory. Trainer Ray Ashford had slowly brought Holly Dolly through her conditions and she had run first or second in seven-of-eight tries, showing more and more promise with each win.
Holly Dolly beat an allowance field of non-winners of three last time out at Remington Park on Sept. 4 by 5-1/4 lengths. It was obvious to Ashford it was time to give her a chance to take down a black-type listed stakes. The filly said no problem.
When Diego stomped on the gas at the top of the stretch, Holly Dolly responded and passed her competition like a Ferrari passing a Volkswagen bug. The filly, owned by Tom Durant of Grapevine, Texas, flew away from them to win by 5-1/2 lengths. She earned $30,000 for the trip to the winner’s circle and improved to nine starts, four wins and four seconds for a bankroll of $120,034. The filly was originally purchased for $120,000 in the Fasig-Tipton Fall Yearling Sale in 2021 and Durant then bought her for $250,000 from the Fasig-Tipton MidAtlantic 2-year-olds-in-training sale in 2022.
Holly Dolly, off as the 9-5 betting favorite in the race, paid $5.60 to win, $3.60 to place and $2.80 to show.
Holly Dolly covered the six furlongs in a winning time of 1:10.20 over the fast track after she cut into early fractions set by Palacein (4-1) and Closing Act (3-1) of :22.22 for the first quarter-mile, :45.19 for the half-mile, and :57.55 for five-eighths of a mile. Closing Act held on for second, another half-length in front of third-place finisher Perfect Wish (8-1). The rest of the order of finish was Cajun Ninja (5-2) fourth, Faith Alone (13-1) fifth, Magnolia Avenue (39-1) sixth and Palacein seventh.