Race of the Week
Miss Missile blasts a small Chantilly field. (From June 8, 2008)
Miss Missile blasts a small Chantilly field.
Assiniboia Downs' equivalent to Big Brown did not disappoint Sunday in the Chantilly Stakes. Miss Missile, trained by Charlie Smith, led wire to wire to win the first stake for 3-year-old fillies this year.
Miss Missile won last year's Debutante Stakes and later ran against two of the top fillies in North America Proud Spell and Indian Blessing. Both of which ran later that year in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Miss Missile positioned herself as almost invincible here at Assiniboia Downs and the field size showed it with only four going to the gate.
Two time leading rider, Rohan Singh, was on cruise control down the back stretch with an easy two length lead then stepped on the gas going into the turn. Miss Missile quickly opened up an easy five length lead and continued to widen down the stretch.
"She relaxed really well down the back,· said Rohan, "and when I asked her she responded extremely well."
"This filly has been aweful good to us," said Smith in the winner's circle, "and we love coming up here, so we will be back. Most likely for the Assiniboia Oaks.
Lunacat, the easy second favourite, sat second the entire trip but could not match the winner. Lunacat, trained by Emile Corbel, came into the Chantilly off an easy win back in May. QueenTina, the only maiden in the field, got up for third.
