More Than Ready’s spectacular turf mare Rushing Fall avenged a loss in last year’s Diana S. (G1) with a well-earned neck victory over Mean Mary Sunday at Saratoga in the 2020 renewal of the $500,000 race for fillies and mares.
Now a six-time Grade 1 winner, Rushing Fall has won 11 of 14 lifetime starts and has earned $2,553,000 for Bob Edwards’ eFive Racing.
At the break of the 1 1/8-mile Diana, Mean Mary took command and led the field through a half-mile in :48.38, with Rushing Fall about two lengths behind the pacesetter. She began to cut into the margin and was nearly on even terms entering the stretch. Mean Mary would not give up easily, but Rushing Fall showed her class in the final furlong to reach the wire first.
The final running time of 1:45.88 on the firm turf represented the third-fastest clocking in the 82-year history of the Diana.
“She knows how to win. She’s a remarkable horse,” trainer Chad Brown said. “This is a horse that has won Grade Is in four straight years. This is very rare company to do this. She’s a horse of a lifetime for anybody–for an owner, for a trainer, for racing. We’re very fortunate that Bob Edwards put her back in training. She’s special.”
Pedigree notes from the TDN
One of 203 stakes winners, 91 graded stakes winners and 24 Grade I winners for More Than Ready, Rushing Fall is the third black-type performer out of Autumnal, a $260,000 purchase at Keeneland November in 2007. The 18-year-old mare, a full-sister to GSP Sisti’s Pride out of GSP Marie J, produced a full-brother to Rushing Fall Mar. 24.
