The $300,000 Group II ATC Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday provides the winner with an automatic start in the Golden Slipper and Trapeze Artist filly Spicy Miss grabbed that opportunity when leading home a trifecta for Widden Stud based sires.
Trained by Ciaron Maher, Spicy Miss was second don debut last spring in the $1million ATC Golden Gift behind the smart colt Revengeance and then resumed from a spell with a second to Agrarian Girl in the Listed ATC Lonhro Plate over 1000m at the start of the month.
Ridden by Zac Lloyd in her first two starts, Spicy Miss had the champion jockey on again for this assignment and after stalking the leader she hit the front with a furlong to run.
Spicy Miss was game to the line holding off her rivals to win by a long neck over Screen Icon (Nicconi) and By Choice (Written By).
“She ran very well first-up, but both Ciaron and the owners sort of alluded to the fact that she'll improve off the run and they were exactly right. She dug deep today and I think the 1200m was a good step for her,” said Zac Lloyd.
“She definitely does (feel like a Golden Slipper horse). I think just her mentality and her will to win is going to take her a long way. She's good out of the machine, she does everything right, so that's going to really help her in a high-pressure race like the Golden Slipper.”
A $150,000 Magic Millions purchase from Widden stud for Darby Racing, Spicy Miss has banked nearly $400,000 from her first three starts.
Bred by the Vieira Group, Spicy Miss is the first winner from two foals to race out of well bred imported Street Boss mare Sweet Gisel (USA), who comes from a solid Black Type family.
Sadly for the Vieira family, she died last year and her final foal is a yearling colt by Trapeze Artist.
Spicy Miss is the 11th stakes-winner for Trapeze Artist, who is enjoying a strong season and she is his third juvenile stakes-winner joining Chilly Miss and Where’s the Circus.
