Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Brattata can ace class test in Here comes the bride Stakes
There are richer races than the $100,000 Here comes the bride Stake son Saturday’ s Fountain of Youth card at Gulfstream, but to my eyes, it is the stakes race that offers the richest wagering opportunity. Favorable odds should exist on a horse who I believe the public will underestimate: the recent maiden graduate Brattata.
Although coming off a victory for trainer Chad Brown, her past performances don’t leap out the way the lines from Thewayiam and Ameritune do. The former is 4 for 7 and a twotime stakes winner at Gulfstream, while the latter is a Tapit filly who was a debut winner Jan. 27 at Gulfstream.
Those fillies also have run faster over the course than Brattata, with Thewayiam running an 81 Beyer Speed Figure in winning the Sweetest Chant on Feb. 3 and Ameritune posting a 78. Brattata, meanwhile, posted a 76 in recording her lone victory in five starts Feb. 4.
Brattata’s appeal is the manner in which she won her latest. Breaking from post 12 going 7 1/2 furlongs, she was five wide into the first turn and then was shuffled back when her rider elected to drop in and settle in the 2 or 3 path. But rather than running out of ground while closing the gap on the leaders, she exhibited an eye-catching turn of foot to take command so quickly that she hit the front shortly after entering the stretch. And like many turf horses who make the lead too quickly, she relaxed, not appearing to extend herself the remainder of the stretch.
Now, Brown encouragingly gets aggressive with her placement, bypassing an allowance race for the opportunity to run in the Herecomesthebride and leaving much to like about this filly. Look for her to drift from her 5-2 morning line to start as the third choice in the race, likely around 7-2.
Take Charge Paula in Davona Dale
Sticking with the fillies, I am also eager to back Take Charge Paula in the Davona Dale at Gulfstream. Having won four stakes, including a couple over the track, she would be the favorite under most circumstances, but likely won’t be the public choice due to the popularity of Fly So High, an up-and-comer who some view as a Kentucky Oaks filly.
I’m not as bullish on Fly So High – certainly not at even-money on the morning line. She didn’t beat much in an allowance victory here in January, and her time of 1:39.03 for a mile was slow, as was her final quarter in nearly 27 seconds.
So, I will relish the chance to back Take Charge Paula as an alternative. She was dominant in the Forward Gal on Feb. 3, winning by 3 1/2 lengths, so the slight stretch-out in distance from seven furlongs to a one-turn mile shouldn’t tax her.
Shamrock Rose in Busher Stakes
I suspect that Shamrock Rose’s lack of dirt-racing experience will lead many gamblers to pass on betting her in the Busher at Aqueduct, but her inexperience is one of the chief reasons I like her.
Given that all of her success came last year on the synthetic Tapeta surface at Woodbine, it would have been easy for trainer Mark Casse to simply put her away for the winter and wait for spring racing to resume in Canada – or maybe just give her an easy allowance prep before heading north.
Instead, he gave her some works on dirt in Ocala, Fla., at his training center, and after she drilled some bullets there he sent her to Aqueduct to point for this stakes race.
Such a vote of confidence has me encouraged that she might improve upon what she displayed on synthetic at Woodbine. And she did quite well there, too. She won first out in a stakes race after a troubled break and then was second in the Grade 3 Mazarine behind stablemate and eventual Demoiselle winner Wonder Gadot.
Her only poor performance there came in her final race of 2017, when her connections took a shot with her against males on yielding turf and she weakened to sixth in a forgivable performance under those circumstances.
A 6-1 morning-line shot, Shamrock Rose seems like an overlay.