Julie Krone won her first Grade One stakes since she was severely injured one year ago. She rode Link River to victory in the John A. Morris Handicap today by nearly three lengths over the favorite, You'd Be Surprised.
Link River, a 4-year-old daughter of Gone West, withstood a major rush by the favorite in the homestretch, and they both finished far in front of another top filly, Dispute. And another star of the past, November Snow, who won the Alabama Stakes here two years ago, ran seventh and last.
Krone suffered a shattered ankle in a violent spill at Saratoga last Aug. 30, and missed nine months of racing. Since she returned on May 25, she has slowly approached the style and success that made her the leading female jockey in history. She rode winners in five lesser stakes races in the last three months, but this was her first victory in a Grade One.
Link River ran the mile and one-eighth in 1:502/5 on a muddy track, paid $19.60 for $2 to win and earned $120,000. She is owned by Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum of Dubai and is trained by Bill Mott, and she now has won five of her eight races. In her last start one month ago, she ran second to Sky Beauty in the Go for Wand Stakes. At the finish today, she had 2 3/4 lengths on You'd Be Surprised, who won the race last year. Dispute was six lengths farther back.
"Well, without Sky Beauty in here," Mott said, "I thought we could compete."
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