Already a Breeders’ Cup and Eclipse Award winner, Gamine bids for something else Nov. 6 at Del Mar: an unbeaten season.
The high-achieving 4-year-old Into Mischief filly, whose lone defeat in 10 career starts came last year in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), looks to improve to 5-for-5 in 2021 when she faces Bella Sofia , Ce Ce , and three others in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1). She won the race last year when it was at Keeneland.
Solely Groupie Doll (2012-13) has repeated in the Filly & Mare Sprint since the race’s creation in 2007. She was not unbeaten either year.
Gamine, North America’s reigning champion female sprinter, is twice a winner in grade 1 company in 2021. She captured the Derby City Distaff Stakes presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery (G1) on Derby Day, May 1, at Churchill Downs, and added the Aug. 28 Ketel One Ballerina Handicap (G1) in her most up-to-date begin at Saratoga Race Course.
In these two grade 1 victories, and likewise the Las Flores Stakes (G3) to start the 12 months, she had issues her personal method on the lead. A frontrunner, she seemingly did not want the benefit of a :23.20 first cut up within the Ballerina however acquired it and spurted away for a 1 3/4-length victory.
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Behind her within the Ballerina have been two foes that return within the Filly & Mare Dash—third-place Ce Ce, and fifth-place Estillo Talentoso. The duo obtained weight breaks beneath the earlier race’s handicap circumstances and could not beat her. Saturday, all these aged 4 and up all carry 124 kilos.
Together with the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, the seven-furlong Filly & Mare Dash has the shortest area of 14 Breeders’ Cup races, with simply six entered and with Gamine put in because the 3-5 morning-line favourite. She has been favored in each begin.
Bob Baffert, a 17-time Breeders’ Cup winner, trains Gamine for proprietor Michael Lund Petersen, who, through agent Donato Lanni, purchased the Grace Thoroughbred Holdings-bred filly for $1.8 million from Bobby Dodd’s consignment on the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-12 months-Olds in Coaching Sale.
Baffert trainees have undergone expanded screening and testing upfront of the Breeders’ Cup as a situation from Breeders’ Cup officers for the coach’s participation. This motion adopted Medina Spirit testing positive for betamethasone after crossing the wire first in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs Might 1, the coach’s fifth optimistic check in a 12 months.
Gamine was answerable for two of these positives.
John Velazquez, an 18-time Breeders Cup winner, returns aboard Gamine, who’s 8-for-8 round one flip.
Considered one of two dietary supplements to the Filly & Mare Dash at a value of $100,000 apiece, Bella Sofia might have the pace and sophistication to maintain tempo with Gamine. She, too, has misplaced only a single race, going 4-1-0 in 5 begins. After shedding her stakes debut within the Jersey Lady Stakes June 6, she has gained three in a row, together with the Longines Check Stakes (G1) and Gallant Bloom Handicap (G2).
Bella Sofia wins the Check Stakes on the Saratoga Race Course
“It is a robust race,” stated coach Rudy Rodriguez of the Filly & Mare Dash. “It must be robust. It is the Breeders’ Cup.”
She is the fourth Breeders’ Cup starter for Rodriguez, following Belle Gallantey , who finished ninth in the 2014 Distaff, and Jamyson’ n Ginger (fifth) and Colorful Charades (12th) in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).
A $20,000 purchase by bloodstock agents Nick Sallusto and Hanzly Albina, she races for owners Michael Imperio, Medallion Racing, Sofia Soares, Vincent Scuderi, and Parkland Thoroughbreds. They made her a pricey horse-of-racing-age nomination to compete.
“The owners were happy to put the money up,” Rodriguez said.
With the Awesome Patriot filly based in New York throughout her career and unaccustomed to traveling, Rodriguez flew her to California two weeks before the race to acclimate and breeze once at Del Mar. The race’s lone 3-year-old, she carries 122 pounds, two less than her older rivals. Luis Saez will ride.
Estillo Talentoso (Maclean’s Music ), a close third in the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G2) at Keeneland is the opposite complement. Medallion Racing and Parkland Thoroughbreds are additionally part-owners of this filly, this time with Barry Fowler, Little Pink Feather Racing, and BlackRidge Stables.
The Juan Arriagada trainee gained the Mattress o’ Roses Stakes (G3) this summer time at Saratoga and has contended in grade 2s and grade 1s
Bo Hirsch’s twin grade 1 winner Ce Ce (Elusive High quality ), beaten by Gamine in both the Derby City Distaff and Ballerina, has scored thrice this year. She took the Chillingworth Stakes (G3) in her final Breeders’ Cup tuneup after wins in the Princess Rooney Invitational Stakes (G2) and an allowance optional claimer earlier in the year. She defeated a poor-starting Estillo Talentoso in the Princess Rooney this summer at Gulfstream Park.
Primarily a two-turn filly final 12 months, coach Michael McCarthy has concentrated her in lengthy sprints for a lot of 2021.
“I simply felt that out in California right here since she’s discovered a few of these deeper racetracks tiring and demanding… reducing again to 1 flip appears to be a bit simpler on her,” McCarthy stated.
Rounding out the sphere are graded stakes-winning Californians Edgeway and Proud Emma .
OFFICIAL: Post Positions for the $1 Million #BreedersCup Filly & Mare Dash at @DelMarRacing. #BC21
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Entries: Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1)
Del Mar, Saturday, November 06, 2021, Race 4
- Grade I
- 7f
- Filth
- $1,000,000
- 3 yo’s & up Fillies and Mares
- 12:05 PM (native)
