The Gallorette Stakes (Grade 3)- $150.000 Purse
PIM- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Turf
May 19, 2018
As part of the undercard for the PRK, the 14th running of The Gallorette Stakes will be taking place. This is for older females on the grass, and it’s a turf course that more then likely will be yielding or soft on race today unless one of those virtual vortexes forms over the race track and keeps it dry. Last year, Mb Stables picked up the win with a three year old named General Belle. It would be the last win of her career, though she did have some good second place runs before being retired. On the jockey side, R J Albarado is the one you want, based on history, as he has won the race four times. But no one did want him, and he will be watching along with everyone else. Let’s see what jockeys do have mounts, as we look at our field of eight.
#1- Angel Wing (Mb Stables, ridden by F Pennington)- Drawing the rail, Angel Wing actually looks a lot like General Belle would have at this time last year. He will be hoping for the same level of success from this four year old. After success in the ungraded ranks, he graded debut did not go well, but this is a great spot for her to fall into. Interestingly, and although it was an allowance, three races ago she ran on soft turf, and won by eight.
#2- Ocean Reef (Chili King Stables, ridden by H A Karamanos)- Winner of three out of sixteen in her career, Ocean Reef, until recently had been pretty reliable at being able to at least get some form of a check for her trainer. Two of her last three starts have not been the greatest, so there is some concern about recent form, but the race that did go well was on soft turf as well. Likely a bit of a longshot, but capable of firing off a big one.
#3- Ineffable (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- After some runs on the main track, Ineffable returned to her traditional strength in her last start, which is running on the grass. She would win the PRX optional claimer last month, which ends up being her second win in her last three races. One stat I love about this Mordred filly is that, other then her debut race, she has finished somewhere in the top four every time in a career that now spans 14 races. I like her chances, but it’s been a while since she’s run on an off track.
#4- All Together Now (Running Farms, ridden by R Bejarano)- The trainer has been doing well since returning this year, winning at a 22% clip as of press time, and this is their first graded stake (unless there is another between press time and this one). All Together Now also makes her graded debut, but has earned it with back to back wins. Her last win was quite impressive, jumping out to a seven length lead, and holding on to win by two. It’ll be tougher here, though.
#5- Quiet Word (Mb Stables, ridden by L H Colon)- This filly has had plenty of recent experience on off tracks to the point where she probably thinks its strange now if the track is ever dry. Four of her last six races have been on an off track, and that has not bothered one bit as she has two wins in those races. It’s been a while, though, since that last win, coming in early September. Has had better success in ungraded stakes, and has yet to win at the graded level.
#6- Alligator (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by J J Castellano)– This is the first of two three year olds in the field, and you have to think that they will love the five pound weight allowance that they get. None of the older horses are particularly head and shoulders above the others, so the weight may make all the difference. This Alligator is looking to chomp away at the biggest win of her career in what would be her graded debut. She’s never run on an off track, which is of some concern, given the strong familiarity that her rivals have with it.
#7- Pink Bombshell (Night Rider Stables, ridden by F Lynch)- I thought this name sounded familiar, but just thought it was because I covered her at some point. Then I realized, I owned her long ago, and it reminds me how high I was on her at the time of purchase. Never panned out for me, and was a little slow to get going for Night Rider as well, but finally Pink Bombshell is showing her true ability, winning three of her last four races, including the $100.000 Plenty Of Grace at AQU. That stretch allows her to get this chance, her first graded attempt, and this writer certainly has the sentimental rooting interest!
#8- I justwantthe Purple (Gdp Inc, ridden by E Maldonado)- She may just want purple, but the trainer will be hoping for some green as well with this three year old Not Laffin Now filly. She is the other of the two younger horses in the field getting the weight allowance, and she’s actually pretty similar to Alligator at this stage in her career. I justwantthe Purple makes her graded debut here, following a good run of form in her last two races. But like Alligator, she has never run on an off track.
Prediction: 3-1-6-7
— NS
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
