• Trainer Wood Duck Stables and Jockey T. Gaffalione claim 1st Debutante

Trainer Wood Duck Stables brought Coconut Milk (Chai Bay o/o Narly Kruz) into Saturday’s $125.000 Debutante (Listed) at CD with a perfect 1 for 1 record. Jockey T. Gaffalione brought her back to him in the Winner’s Circle an even better 2 for 2. With the win, Coconut Milk has now earned $93.960 with her two wins and vaults into consideration for the BC Juvenile Fillies (G1).

When the gates popped open, it was Eloquent shooting to the front from the 11 stall with Rig For Red, Coconut Milk, Ballsacajeweeeya, and Fancy Dance Party making up the 2nd flight just behind her. The 3rd flight consisted of three horses with Ginger Lucy, Lemrun, and The Nation racing just in front of the final flight of Perfect Dunk, Lassitude, Bahrain, and Lawbringer.

After a quarter in :22.66 Eloquent had established a lead of a length and change with Coconut Milk, starting to break ranks with her flight mates, in 2nd. About two lengths back of that quartet, in the 3rd flight, it was The Nation, on the outside, slightly in front of Ginger Lucy, on the inside, who had put a length on Lemrun, in the middle. Three horses now ran in the 4th flight as Lassitude dropped back to be the clear trailer.

The order remained largely unchanged midway on the far turn; however, it was clear that there would be a new leader in short order as Eloquent started coming back to the field. As the horses reached the top of the lane, Coconut Milk assumed command and looked to hold off the 2nd and 3rd flight horses. Ballsacajeweeeya and Rig For Red had moved to 2nd and 3rd and The Nation, in the six or seven path, appeared to be making a move by the time they reached the 3/16 pole.

From the furlong pole to the 1/16 pole, not much changed as the first four were beginning to show the effects of being so close to the hot pace with Bahrain and Perfect Dunk starting to find their best stride in 5th and 7th, respectively, as Lemrun continued to battle in 6th. Coconut Milk got to the wire 1st with the trio of Ballsacajeweeeya, Rig For Red, and The Nation, separated by a neck in 2nd thru 4th, just about a half length back. Bahrain made a nice run to get up for 5th just about 1/2 behind those three. Coconut Milk crossed the wire in 1:10.43 and there was less than 2-lengths separation before Lemrun and Perfect Dunk dead-heated for 6th.

After the race, Wood Duck Stables had this to say after the race, “She had a perfect trip, When she made the turn she looked to have a chance to pull it off. Hopefully she comes out of the race in good shape. Thanks to all who sent site mails and posts of congratulations.”

Congratulations to Wood Duck Stables!

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