Exaggerated Wins Going Away in Giant’s Causeway

LEXINGTON, KY (April 16, 2016) –Exaggerated emerged from an early scramble for the lead in the run down the backstretch, spurted clear in the upper stretch and never was threatened in winning by 1 1/2 lengths over Cactus Kris in the Giant’s Causeway.

Trained by Arnaud Delacour and ridden by Julien Leparaux, Exaggerated covered the 5 ½ furlongs on a firm turf course in 1:02.81. It was the second victory in the race for Lael Stables, Delacour and Leparoux who scored in 2014 with Ageless.

The victory was worth $60,000 and increased her bankroll to $159,660 with a record of 7-5-0-1.

A Keeneland sales graduate, Exaggerated is a 4-year-old Virginia-bred daughter of Blame out of the Valid Appeal mare Miz United States.

Exaggerated returned $22, $9.80 and $6.80. Cactus Kris, ridden by Mathieu Adam, returned $26 and $11.80 with Miss Double d’Oro finishing third under Jose Lezcano and paying $5.80 to show.

Lindisfarne finished fourth and was followed in order by favored Miss Ella, Rapid Rhythm, Miss Matzoball, Jewel of a Cat, Tesalina (CHI), Sweet Nkosi, Eden Prairie and Maggiesfreuddnslip.

Quotes from the $100,000 Giant’s Causeway

Arnaud Delacour (winning trainer of Exaggerated)
On the keys to her improvement

“She does it on her own. Obviously, she has a lot of speed and she keeps improving. She’s developed very well physically, which is probably a big key to her running so well. We just have to keep her together, and that’s it.”

Julien Leparoux (winning rider)

“She broke good and she was kind of keen the first part. When she got to the lead, she relaxed good. She finished very strong. It was not really the plan before the race to be on the front end, but as long as she was relaxed, that was the key. She did good.”

Mathieu Adam (rider of runner-up Cactus Kris)

“It was good. She just needed a race a little bit, and she ran a very good race. She’s always trying. She’s usually a little more forward. With the outside post we got wide a little bit, but she came running and did a very good job.”

Jose Lezcano (rider of third-place finisher Miss Double d’Oro)

“I had a very good trip. I broke good. My filly always comes from behind so we sat in the back. She gave me a very good race.”

Flavien Prat (rider of fourth-place finisher Lindisfarne)

“I had a good trip. I knew if I was outside I could have a good trip, and she ran really well. I didn’t know (what to expect) since that was my first time on her, but she ran really good.”

Drayden Van Dyke (rider of fifth-place finisher and beaten favorite Miss Ella)

“My trip was good. We went a little wide around the final turn but no excuse. I think she’ll be a better two-turn filly because she was kind of all out the whole time just to keep position. She gave me a good move (at the top of the stretch) but I think she’ll be better if she relaxes, sits and gets a good run going longer (distances).”

Keeneland