May 4, 2015

While the three-year-old fillies on the dirt were in the spotlight on Friday in the KY Oaks, fillies on the turf were featured on Sunday at SA in the Grade II Honeymoon Stakes and coming off a dismal effort against the males at KEE, Girl Talk was back against females and back to her winning ways with a powerful performance that sets her up for the Grade I American Oaks. From a modest family of hard knocking types, she was purchased earlier this year for only $3.000 and since then, has become a multiple Graded Stakes winner of more than $275.000 and now, can cement her status at the top of her division with her multitude of turf route experiences to fall back on.

The SA turf course is configured in such a way that the nine-furlong races have a huge run into the first turn and with big or small fields, outside horses can save some ground and that is exactly what You Can Do It (4.40) did when she broke on top. Favourite Jawbone (*0.95) and middle starter Girl Talk (7.25) broke well to sit just in behind but by the time the field moved in front of the stands, the leader was clear and down to the rail like a good horse should be. Everyone found a good spot behind the two-length pacemaker with Girl Talk moving up smartly to engage earlier than expected and with the tight turns, no one was really eager to make their move passed a half-mile in 47.08. Unfortunately, Jawbone looked under stress with a half-mile to go and started to back away into Rip Snortin (9.50) and with Broomsticks Copy (2.70) languishing back in last, it was left to the two leaders to slug it out and heading into the far turn, through six-furlongs in 1:10.25, Girl Talk had wrested the lead from You Can Do It. Rip Snortin came with a wide rally at the top of the lane as the backfield floundered despite the solid fractions but Girl Talk looked straight and strong with a furlong to go and the battle was clearly for second in the end. Wrapped up coming to the line, Girl Talk wound up with a modest length to spare over You Can Do It, who grimly held on for a nose decision over Rip Snortin in what was a closer finish than it should have been, while Broomsticks Copy looked like a shell of her former self and only beat home favourite Jawbone, who clearly failed to handle the distance.

After winning the Grade III FL Oaks at huge odds, then proving a disaster over soft ground against males in the Grade III Transylvania, Girl Talk got back to firm ground and back to the winner’s circle with a hard fought win in the Grade II Honeymoon Stakes at SA to firmly plant herself as the best three-year-old filly on grass at HRP. With just under four-weeks time to the American Oaks, there is plenty of time for this filly to get a few workouts under her belt as she tries to continue her upward momentum, all the way to Grade I glory.

Congratulations goes out to owner Nolespan Racing and their three-year-old filly Girl Talk, a gutsy winner of the Grade II Honeymoon Stakes at SA!

Winner                      Girl Talk

                                     Three-year-old black filly

                                     Danzigs Delight-Sweep The Yummy (Sweep The Dancer)

Owner                         Nolespan Racing

Time                            47.08, 1:10.25, 1:33.66, 1:45.79

Overall

Girl Talk                      7.25 stalked leader, rallied past, held well

You Can Do It            4.40 set good splits, tired late, got second

Rip Snortin                 9.50 behind rivals, angled, minor rally

Broomsticks Copy     2.70 no real threat

Jawbone                     *0.95 pressed, weakened badly

Triple T Racing

Categories: Grade II