The Gasparilla Stakes ($150.000 Purse)
TAM- For Fillies Three Years Old
Seven Furlongs on the Dirt
January 11, 2025

There were several horses in the field of the Gasparilla Stakes that were making their first stake appearance, so certainly this was an enormous opportunity for them to prove themselves. Chantilly Road was one of them, and perhaps she was just one of those horses that took a little longer to find her way. The D J C Racing Stables filly broke her maiden last month at TUP, after she was dropped down from higher competition where she had been running very competitively. Now, having experienced the taste of victory, she would know what it took to do so again. In the Gasparilla Stakes, she was able to do exactly that, winning by a length and giving both trainer D J C Racing Stables and jockey W Martinez their first win in the race. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 1:22.26, which is among the better winning times. Let’s take a look at it now:

(1/4 Mile- 23.08)- It’s close out front, as both Shericka, from Winning Link Stables, and Backdoor Into Paris, from First Flight Stable, break well from the gate and are side by side after a quarter mile, with Shericka having the nod by a head. Our eventual winner from D J C Racing Stables, Chantilly Road, patiently stalks the pace while being on the rail. To her outside, we have the Night Rider Stables- trained Merlene Ottey. It’s a length and a half then to the three trailers, who run alongside one another: Call Me A Lady (Winplace), Shared Decision (Mb Stables), and Smokin Cherie (TwinTowersRacing).

(½ Mile- :46.52)- Shericka has won the battle with Backdoor Into Paris down the backstretch and will lead the field into the turn all by herself with a length advantage. Backdoor Into Paris was still second for the moment, but tiring, and about to be imminently passed by Chantilly Road. Once Chantilly Road could be clear of her, she would have plenty of room to set her sights on the race leader. Merlene Ottey, the eventual runner up, lost a length to her at this portion of the race, and when you look at the finishing margin between her and Chantilly Road, you can almost make the case the right here and now, Chantilly Road won the race in regard to that one. There was still quite a gap to the trailing trio, as none of them showed an interest in getting involved as of yet. But there still could be time. Maybe.

(Top of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Shericka is still in good form as she runs around the turn and enters the stretch, but Chantilly Road had begun her push and was now within a half of a length. Merlene Ottey ran third, but was a length and a half behind Chantilly Road, which was ground she would never make up. Backdoor Into Paris had fallen into fourth. Further back, Shared Decision was hitting her best stride and was one to watch but the same could not be said for Call Me A Lady or Smokin Cherie.

(Finish- 1:22.26)- With a furlong to go, Chantilly Road had taken the lead, and W Martinez could look over his shoulder and smile as he saw there was no one else coming quickly enough to get her. As long as his filly could maintain her stride, which she did without any issue, this race was in the bag. Merlene Ottey does take second, narrowly over late running Shared Decision. Shericka fizzled out in the final furlong, dropping to fourth, beating only Smokin Cherie, Call Me A Lady, and Backdoor Into Paris.

About The Winner- Chantilly Road, trained by D J C Racing Stables and ridden to victory by W Martinez, is a three-year-old filly by Hard To Forgive and is out of Versailles. She was bred in California as a second quarter two-year-old by D J C Racing Stables, and they have been together throughout. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her second in six starts and first stake win. Her career earnings improve to $120.830.

Track: Fast
Time: :23  :46²  1:10²  1:22¹

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 2 – 7 Paid 155.10
$1 Trifecta: 2 – 7 – 5 Paid 778.50

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded