Greek Commands the Storm in The Miss Grillo

By Nynl Stables on October 1, 2022

The Miss Grillo (Grade 2) (BC)- $200.000 Purse
AQU- For Fillies Two Years Old
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Inner Turf
October 1, 2022

Back in August, Mb Stables put in a $50.000 claim to purchase Greek from Arindel. At the time, he probably didn’t think he was claiming a BC Juvenile Fillies runner, but the filly will be there just as long as Mb wants her to be, with the Miss Grillo win. It is the third straight win for this Commanding The Storm foal, who won that maiden claiming race, and then the $150.000 Johnson before this victory right here. Her victory was not a surprise, as she was both the post time favorite for the race and our pick right here. The win is the second for Mb Stables in the Miss Grillo, having also won in 2016 with the late General Belle. Jockey L Saez is also a two time winner, with his prior win coming in 2013. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 1:45.14 over the soft turf course. Let’s take a look!

(1/4 Mile- :23.96)- Long Term Parking certainly did not stay parked in the gate at the start of the race, shooting out to the early lead for TwinTowersRacing. She would have some company there, as on the rail, I Have To Chai, from Oval Express Farms started much better than she would finish. Behind the frontrunners, we had four stalkers, and the quicker one of the group is Rampage Stable’s Fun Dip, who is in the outside lane and a half a length ahead of the others. Then it’s Stick Low, from Arindel, who is a neck in front of the other two. Our eventual winner, the former Arindel, turned Mb Stables entry, is one of those two, as she rides the rail. Beau Belle runs between then for Big Guns Stables. Stalking the stalkers are a group of three, from inside to outside consisting of Queen Of Diamonds (Nakamura Stables), Nevada Jess (Nakamura Stables), and Coin Neckless (Oquinn Farm). It’s about two lengths to Osiyo (The Freakshow), and another to Rafting (Fractious).

(½ Mile- :48.34)- Moving around the opening turn and early in the backstretch, Long Term Parking is able to pull a length and a half in front of second place I Have To Chai. Next would come Fun Dip, who was still running four wide, but seemed poised to make a bit of a push forward here if she wanted. Stick Low was still beside her, and on the rail, Greek was not concerned with how things were playing out and ran patiently. She was potentially in jeopardy of I Have To Chai falling back into her, however. Beau Belle was starting to lose touch with these. Coin Neckless was a neck in front of the Nakamura entries while Osiyo and Rafting were further back.

(Top of Stretch, 1.7F To Go)- Before reaching the end of the backstretch, Long Term Parking led by two and a half as I Have To Chai was no longer able to keep up and began to fade back. L Saez rode Greek brilliantly here, moving her off the rail to complete the pass, and then back on it to make the move around the turn. Once moving around the turn, Greek was simply phenomenal to watch, pouring it on, and not only pulling away from the rest of the field, but being even with Long Term Parking before they even reached the top of the stretch. Given how she was in a full out drive at this point with likely plenty of run left in the tank, the race was won right here. Fun Dip and Stick Low, who had been running with her, were left in awe and not able to match the move. Nevada Jess and Coin Neckless were running decently, but that was going to be for second at this point.

(Finish- 1:45.64)- Greek powers to the lead, and had the race in the bag entering the stretch. There would be no surprises at this point, as all that was left was to watch her run to the wire. In the dying moments, Nevada Jess was probably a little quicker than her, but it really didn’t concern Greek at all. It does get second for her though, topping Coin Neckless, another who started her run too late, but a length. Long Term Parking gets the fourth place check, by a length over Fun Dip and Rafting. Rounding it out, it’s Stick Low, Osiyo, Queen Of Diamonds, Beau Belle, and I Have to Chai.

About The Winner- Greek, trained by Mb Stables and ridden to victory by L Saez is a two year old filly by Commanding The Storm and is out of Greek Princess. She was bred in New York by Arindel as a first quarter two year old and was acquired by Mb Stables after a $50.000 claim in August. The win is her third in five starts, her second stake win and first graded win. Congratulations to the connections! Her career earnings are now $239.400.

Horse Name

Owner Name

Jockey

Odds

Fin

Time

SRF

Greek

Mb Stables

Saez L

4.05

1¹