‘Wonder Woman’ Wow She’s Fast is well on the way to joining the sport’s exclusive ‘millionaires’ club.
Victoria’s sprinting queen will attempt to reign supreme in next week’s $100,000 to-the-winner Group 1 Sapphire Crown (515m) – and if the crown fits, wear it!
She was simply sensational at Sandown Park tonight with a stunning 29.19sec heat win – around four lengths off her incredible 28.93sec personal best, which is the fourth fastest ever at the Lightwood Road venue.
But as the racecaller so descriptively commented: “There were a few heart flutters… She gave everyone palpitations.”
Prepared at Pearcedale by Jacqui Greenough, Wow She’s Fast ($1.20F) was last early and had some work to do. But in the style of a true champion, she picked herself up from the canvas to land her 10th win from 15 starts including eight from 10 over this track/distance.
Wow She’s Fast – winner of the inaugural TAB Phoenix and G3 Launching Pad – will spiral her earnings to a staggering $1,047,370 if she wins the final.
She was the $3.00 ‘All In’ favourite prior to commencement of the Sapphire Crown series.
But she is sure to have a serious battle on her hands after her kennelmate, Levitation ($6.10), clocked a scintillating 29.06sec (Best) heat win. “Team Greenough” has an ‘embarrassment of riches’ in the final. Levitation – which finished seventh to Wow She’s Fast in the Launching Pad – brought up her sixth win (all at Sandown Park) from 20 starts. She was $21.00 in nominal betting.
Greenough’s husband, Kel, won the 2009 Sapphire Crown with Cindeen Shelby.
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Other highlights to emerge from Friday night’s heats included:
- Idolize – trained at Devon Meadows by Peter Presutto – reached her fourth G1 final after claiming a heat in 29.38sec. It was her 15th win from 27 starts, including six of her past nine. Idolize – G1 National Futurity winner and G1 Temlee runner-up – was a $4.50 second elect in nominal betting.
- G1 Australian Cup finalist Immunity produced a whirlwind finish in her heat. Trained by Jason Thompson, Immunity stormed home in 29.37sec to snare her 24th win from 43 starts. On the third line of pre-post betting at $8.50, Immunity provides Thompson with an opportunity of a third Sapphire Crown victory. He saluted with Peggy May (2012) and Black Opium (2020).
- Avalon-based Jessica Sharp will launch a two-pronged challenge with Devel Sixteen and Let’s Win Coin in the final. A G1 Golden Easter Egg finalist last year, Devel Sixteen semaphored 29.46, while Let’s Win Coin – a former SA speedster – finished second to Immunity. Sharp finished fourth with Junk Food Junkie in last year’s final.
Heat winners
(fastest to slowest)
- Levitation – 29.06sec
- Wow She’s Fast – 29.19sec
- Immunity – 29.37sec
- Idolize – 29.38sec
- Devel Sixteen – 29.46sec
Photos by Clint Anderson
