Chickieness caps big day for Blofeld in Maryland Million Lassie
Murmur Farm stallion Blofeld completed a sweep of the 2-year-old races on Maryland Million Day, when Chickieness surged in the stretch and won the $100,000 Lassie by one and a half lengths at Laurel Park on Oct. 22.
The gray or roan filly broke her maiden at Delaware Park by two and a half lengths on the Delaware Handicap undercard on July 9, then finished second in her next two starts in stakes company behind the undefeated Bound by Destiny. She caught a big break on the morning of the Lassie, when her chief rival, Malibu Moonshine, was scratched. That left Chickieness looking like much the best on paper, and bettors responded in kind by sending her off at 9-10 in the 12-horse field.
Under regular rider Jaime Rodriguez, Chickieness rated in the two-path near the pace, while early leaders Bosserati and Skylar’s Sister set an opening quarter of :22.57. As they rounded the far turn in the six-furlong dash, Rodriguez asked Chickieness for run, but did not receive an initial response. She remained four and a half lengths off the leaders as they turned for home.
In the stretch, Rodriguez continued to work with the favorite, and she began to respond. Under a full-out drive, Chickieness wore down the early leaders and pulled clear in the final few yards to register her first stakes win. Skylar’s Sister held on for second over Bosserati. The final time was 1:12.58.
Chickieness has now won twice in five starts, with three seconds, and earnings of $125,000. She is a homebred for Jagger Inc., who co-owns her with Morris Kernan Jr. Jamie Ness was the winning conditioner, for his second career Maryland Million victory. He added another win later in the day when Ournationonparade won the Classic.
Chickieness is out of the Harlan’s Holiday mare Chickaletta, who was claimed by Jagger Inc. and Ness at Parx Racing in October 2016 and earned $136,748 in her 29-race career. Chickieness is her first live foal; she previously reported a stillborn foal by Buffum in 2019. She has a yearling colt by Hoppertunity named Chica Chuck and an unnamed weanling filly by Irish War Cry. She was bred to Tapiture for 2023.
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