Explosive Debut Winner for Tale of the Cat

Talented filly Stopchargingmaria (2f Tale of the Cat x Exotic Bloom, by Montbrook) kicked her career off with a dazzling five and a half length win at Saratoga. Prepared by Todd Pletcher, Stopchargingmaria bounced straight to the front and led throughout for John Velazquez to win the five and a half furlong scamper as she pleased. “We thought she was pretty straightforward, pretty professional,” Pletcher said. “It looked like she did everything the same as she had in the morning. She was good in the gate, broke alertly, showed some speed, and it looked like she finished with a little something left.” Pletcher feels the daughter of Tale of the Cat can measure up to better races in the future. “We’ll see how she comes out of it. I believe a stakes will be in order; it’s just a matter of which one,” he added. A $220,000 purchase from the OBS March 2YO Sale, Stopchargingmaria runs for Repole Stable and is the first winner for stakes-winner Exotic Bloom, who comes from the family of Grade II winners Vision and Verse and Bourbon Bay.