Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
After romp, Gamine may use Test as prep for Ky. Oaks
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Bob Baffert had intended for Gamine to sit off another horse in Saturday’s Grade 1 Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park.
Then she drew the rail.
So, Baffert told jockey John Velazquez to let Gamine leave the gate running, and once he did that, Gamine never stopped, rolling to a smashing 18 3/4-length victory over Pleasant Orb in the $300,000 Acorn.
“The way she trains, she’s always shown brilliance,” Baffert said Sunday morning from California. “I’ve been trying to slow her down a little bit. If she had the outside post, she would have sat there. Once she drew the one, he had to send.”
Gamine ran a mile in 1:32.55, the fastest Acorn ever, and just .31 of a second off a 17-year-old track record owned by Najran. Gamine earned a 110 Beyer Speed Figure.
“She still looked like she was doing it easy, that’s the most incredible part,” Baffert said. “This track at Santa Anita has such heavy material they have to really work through it. When they get off this and go there it’s like they took their combat boots off and they fly over that track. She was always a superstar.”
Gamine earned 50 qualifying points toward the Sept. 4 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs and that 1 1/8-mile race is her target, Baffert said.
Baffert said he would like to run Gamine once more before the Oaks. A race like the Grade 1 Test going seven furlongs on Aug. 8 at Saratoga “would be an option,” he said.
All reports indicated Gamine came out of her race in good order. She was flown back to Southern California on Sunday.
Gamine, a daughter of Into Mischief owned by Michael Lund Petersen, has finished first in all three of her starts. Her allowance win going 1 1/16 miles on May 2 at Oaklawn Park is under review by the Arkansas Racing Commission after Gamine tested positive for a banned substance. Baffert requested a split sample of the test, and officials are awaiting the results.
No Parole sets sights on Jerkens
Twenty-four hours after his dominant victory in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park, No Parole was back in his stall at Churchill Downs.
But the 3-year-old son of Violence will likely be headed back to New York for his next start, most likely in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens on Aug. 1 at Saratoga.
“That’s a logical spot for us. We’ll see how he trains and what the ownership has to say about it,” said trainer Tom Amoss, who trains No Parole for Maggi Moss and Greg Tramontin.
Amoss said the long-range plan would likely be the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 7 at Keeneland.
“I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but he is a very, very good sprinter with great natural speed,” Amoss said. “Certainly, that would be something we would consider.”
No Parole, who improved his record to five wins from six starts, earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for his Woody Stephens performance.
Oleksandra targets Troy Stakes
Last year, Oleksandra won races at Belmont, Saratoga, and Keeneland. Her connections are hoping that pattern repeats itself in 2020.
Oleksandra completed the first step in that process when she rallied from last under Joel Rosario to nail Kanthaka on the wire and win Saturday’s Grade 1, $250,000 Jaipur Stakes. Her final time of 1:06.80 was just .06 of a second off the course record set by Tombelaine in 2018.
Oleksandra earned a feespaid berth into the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, to be run Nov. 7 at Keeneland. Last fall, Oleksandra won the Grade 2 Franklin County Stakes at Keeneland to complete her 5-year-old campaign.
Among her five victories last year was the Smart N Fancy Stakes at Saratoga.
Owner Barry Irwin said Oleksandra will remain based at Belmont Park and aim for the Grade 3, $200,000 Troy Stakes going 5 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 8 at Saratoga. She could possibly have one more start after that before the Breeders’ Cup.
“She’s good running fresh. You don’t have to do a whole lot with her,” Irwin said.
Irwin said trainer Neil Drysdale told him Oleksandra came out of the race with a little nick on her left front leg when Kanthaka came over on her out of the gate.
Irwin said Oleksandra will be sold at auction in Kentucky following the Breeders’ Cup.
Decorated Invader to Saratoga
Decorated Invader, a dominant 4 3/4-length winner of Saturday’s Grade 2 Pennine Ridge Stakes, could be pointed to a pair of stakes in Saratoga, trainer Christophe Clement said Sunday.
Decorated Invader will be considered for the Grade 2, $150,000 National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on July 18 and the $500,000 Saratoga Derby at 1 3/16 miles on Aug. 15.
“As long as Joel [Rosario] can keep him relaxed, he’s got a very good turn of foot, which is fun,” Clement said.