Inspired sprinted to a 1 1/2-length victory Jan. 21 in Fair Grounds’ $75,000 Pan Zareta S. for older fillies and mares. The win marked the second career stakes win for the 5-year-old daughter of Unbridled’s Song.
Inspired took command from the outside post in the field of 10 just after the start making the front after a quarter mile, getting early fractions of 22.11 and 45.33 before completing the distance on a “good” turf in 1:03.47.
“I was on the outside and I wanted to keep her off the rail anyway,” said winning rider John Velazquez. “I’d been watching the races all day and I figured that might be the best place to be. I knew she was going to be on the lead, so it worked out great.”
“The last time she ran, Johnny came back and said ‘Man, she doesn’t like it (being rated),’” trainer Allen Iwinski added. “He had said to just let her run free and not take hold of her and it turns out that was the right thing to do.”
Owned and bred by Peter Blum, Inspired increased her career earnings to $184,385 with her fourth win in 14 lifetime starts. Inspired is out of the stakes-placed mare Proposal, who a has also produced the stakes winners Silver City (a full brother to Inspired who accounted for the 2009 Dixieland S.), plus Initiation, winner of the Glorious Song S. and Dream Supreme H. winner Elope.