Saturday three-year-old Kobla pulled an upset, winning

The Grade 3 Endine Stakes, run at Delaware Park, by 1/2

a length. Her victory in the $150.000 race earned Kobla her

very first stakes win; and a graded stakes win no less.

Coming into the race, she had the fastest posted 6F dirt

work, in the field, and she finished the race in the 2nd

fastest time the Endine has ever been run, looking like

a complete professional the entire trip.

Kobla is trained by Mshot Stables, and the daughter of

Evil Ransom got a perfect trip, laying just off the pace, and

then getting out front at the 5/8 poll and holding the lead for

the win. She ran the 6F race over a fast Delaware Park track

in a final time of 1:10.08, and earned $90.000, bringing her

lifetime earnings to $175.710, and giving her a race record

of 10-4-0-2.

Crown Class finished 2nd, earning $30.000 for her trainer

Meat, while Quick Sting trained by Mwn Racing was 3rd,

taking home $24.000 for the show spot.

Official Order of Finish:

6   Kobla: Won by 1/2 of a length. After breaking from

     the outside post, was sent out fast for position was

     able to get in front of some horses, and move to four

     wide off the rail, where she led the race until the 1/4

     mile. She then ran a head behind the leader in 2nd,

     and at the 5/8 pole was able to get 1/2 a length in

     front, and hold on for the win.

    -Came into the race with the fastest posted 6F dirt

     work in the field, and now we see why. Kobla ran

     a beautiful race, looking as though she had run in

     stakes company a thousand times. Now that she

     has her first stakes win, one to watch out for-she

     could be a rising star.

3   Crown Class: Finished 2nd, 1/2 a length behind

     the winner. Ran 4th early, one length off the lead

     and then between the 1/2 mile and 5/8 pole, she

     made a big move, passing the 1 horse for 2nd,

     which is where she finished at the wire, just 1/2

     a length back.

    -Really stepped up her game here and ran a great

     race. With the way Crown Class finished running

     strong at the end, had the race been just a hair

     longer, she may have been able to catch up to the

     winner. It looks like she may have turned a corner

     in her career, one to watch for in her future races.

1   Quick Sting: Finished in 3rd, 3/4 a length from the

     the winner. Stayed on the rail and around the 1/4

     mile pole, she led the race, just over the 6 horse.

     Fell to 2nd, and at the 1/2 mile pole, was able to

     reclaim lead briefly, before the first two finishers 

     passed her at the 5/8 mark.

    -Ran very well, especially considering this was the

     first graded stakes race for Quick Sting. With as

     fast as she went early on the front end, it looked

     like she may prefer a little shorter distance, since

     she was tiring a bit at the 5/8 pole, but over all a

     really nice run.

5   Simply Divine: Finished 4th, one length behind

     the winner. Broke well, and was taken back early

     where she ran 5th, 1 1/2 lengths off the lead. At

     the 5/8 pole, she was beginning to make a move

     and simply ran out of time, finishing 4th, just a

     just a short head behind 3rd place finisher, the

     1 horse at the wire.

    -Simply Divine looked like she might be impossible

     to beat here, as the five-year-old mare with multiple

     graded stakes wins, faced a field with no graded

     stakes winners. She ran most of the trip 4-5 wide,

     and she was taken back farther than she normally

     runs, but with as fast as she was closing at the end,

     looks like the distance was just a bit shorter than

     she likes. Ran well, and closed strong, look for her

     to go back to 6 1/2F or 7F for her nest start.

4   Coyote Ugly: Finished 5th, one length back from the

     winner. After the break, was taken back to trail the

     field, three lengths behind the leader. Just before the

     1/2 mile pole, she began to make a huge move, but

     quickly found herself blocked in with no running room.

     Had to break stride a bit, and then when she did get

     clear, she was able to finish strong, but could not

     catch the leaders.

    -Coyote Ugly just really had some bad luck here. She

     was full of run and coming on very hard, then when

     she became blocked, she lost a lot of momentum,

     and was never able to fully recover. With as fast as

     she was running, there is no doubt she could have

     finished in the money. One to watch for her in her

     next start, if she gets a clear trip, she looks like

     she could be dangerous at this distance.

2   Queen Mary IV: Finished 6th, four lengths behind

     the winner. Got a great break, and ran 3rd early, just

     1/2 a length off the leader. At the half mile pole, she

     briefly ran in 2nd, but immediately after that, she was

     done. She tired, slammed on the brakes, to fade back

     badly four lengths, where she finished 6th.

    -Just not ready for graded stakes level competition.

     This was the 3rd stakes attempt for Queen Mary IV,

     and she has finished last in all three. She ran here

     like she did in her last start, running well near the

     lead early, before just stopping. She is very lightly

     raced, and with just the maiden win, this filly needs

     some more experience before trying the stakes level.