Sara Louise won the mile Grade Two Top Flight Handicap on dirt at Aqueduct, USA, on Friday, November 27, cosily by half a length.
The three-year-old Malibu Moon filly, fourth on Pro-Ride in the seven-furlong Grade One Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Santa Anita on November 6, appreciated the return to dirt and was always handily placed.
She broke well on the outside under Edgar Prado and initially was one of three disputing the running before being settled in a close fourth.
Sara Louise made progress to go third at the start of the home turn and challenged the leaders entering the straight.
She soon went to the front and ran on to hold Justwhistledixie by half a length in 1m 38.94s.
It was the 70th running of the Top Flight Handicap and Godolphin’s second success following Stellar Jayne in 2005.
Saeed bin Suroor, the Godolphin trainer, saw the victory at Aqueduct and commented: “She ran a huge race and did it very well. She was close to the pace all the way and was always doing enough after she hit the front.
“She will now stay in training for next year and we look forward to further good performances in 2010.”
Edgar Prado added: “I was a little concerned going into the turn. At about the five-eighths pole, there were four horses across the track but we picked up the tempo a little bit and I was able to be three-wide instead of four or five wide.
“She’s not real crazy about the whip, so I just let her see Justwhistledixie next to her and she did the rest of it. She was very game. The other horse wasn’t getting by.”