Windy city victory

Medaglia d'Oro mare Devil By Design wins the G3 Chicago Handicap at Arlington Park with ease

Medaglia d'Oro mare Devil By Design became her sire's 13th Graded Stakes winner with a one-and-three-quarter length victory in the G3 Chicago Handicap at Arlington Park on July 3. Already a Stakes winner at Saratoga earlier in her career, it was the first career Graded Stakes win for the five-year-old mare.

Settling on the inside, just off the pace, the William Mott-trained Devil By Design went wide and picked up the pace with a determined move to draw clear in the 1400m event.

The Medaglia d'Oro mare was bred in Kentucky by John Gunther and Fred Sahadi. She is out of the Stakes-placed mare Beauty's Due, by Devil His Due. Devil By Design is a half-sister to Santa Anita Stakes winner Kolo.

The sire of seven G1 winners, including Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, Medaglia d'Oro has sired G1 winners on all surfaces and at all ages. Two of these winners at the highest level came in 2011, with C. S. Silk's victory in the G1 Just A Game Handicap and Plum Pretty's impressive score in the G1 Kentucky Oaks.

Medaglia d'Oro will stand the forthcoming southern hemisphere breeding season at a fee of $77,000 (inc GST) after covering an outstanding first book of mares last season which included the likes of G1 winners Merlene, Rinky Dink, Star Shiraz, Shindig and Shamekha.