Tricky Escape Sneaks Away in G3 Violet

OCEANPORT, NJ – Living up to her name, Jon Marshall’s Tricky Escape somehow snuck through a tightly-packed group of leaders and drew off late to win Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Violet Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Jockey Chris DeCarlo had to steady Tricky Escape between horses entering the first turn as Gianna’s Dream set sluggish early fractions of :26.09, :50.75, 1:14.01, and 1:37.77.

Tricky Escape advanced inside on the far turn, then was forced to angle out at the top of the stretch or else risk losing her momentum. The Lynn Ashby-trained 4-year-old daughter of Hat Trick split her foes and launched a strong rally. Collaring Gianna’s Dream and Light Up Our World in deep stretch, Tricky Escape pulled away convincingly to complete the 1 1/8-mile turf race in 1:49.91.

Light Up Our World beat out Gianna’s Dream for second by a head. Beauly, Always Thinking, Pricedtoperfection, and Arraign completed the order of finish. Cayman Croc and Camille Claudel were main-track-only entries.

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Tricky Escape returned $12.40 to win, $5.60 to place, and $3.40 to show. Light Up Our World brought back $3.20 to place and $2.60 to show, while S paid $2 to show.