George Bolton, David DiPietro and Roger Honour’s RARE GIFT (Unbridled’s Song)
seized the early lead in Saturday’s $109,400
Ladies H. (G3) and led wire to
wire, drawing off to a convincing six-length score through the stretch under
Richard Migliore. Trained by John Kimmel, the sophomore filly was pressured
through slow early fractions of :25 and :49 4/5 before shaking free on the
backstretch and went on to complete the 1 1/4-mile feature in 2:05 2/5 over the
fast Aqueduct inner track.
The gray earned her first stakes victory in the process following placings this year in the Bonnie Miss S. (G2), Black-Eyed Susan S. (G2) and Anne
Arundel S. (G3) in her previous outing. She returned $10.40, $5.50 and $4.50
as the 4-1 second choice in the field of eight. Board Elligible (Goldminers
Gold) got up in deep stretch for second, a neck better than Miss Fortunate
(Deputy Minister), and paid $5 and $4. Show was good for $4.40. The exacta
tallied $42.60 and the 3-2-6 trifecta gave back $189.50.
Nevermore (Unbridled) came next under the wire and was followed by 8-5
favorite Roar Emotion (Roar), Points West (West by West), French Hideaway
(French Deputy) and Rendezvous Point (Kingmambo).
Bred in Kentucky by Joe Allen, Rare Gift has now earned $188,220 from a
9-3-1-4 career line. She was purchased for $330,000 at the 2002 Fasig-Tipton
Saratoga sale and is out of the Grade 2-winning Rare Blend (Bates Motel), who
earned $657,633 from a 23-10-3-6 career line. The 11-year-old broodmare has also
produced a yearling filly named Political Alert (Giant’s Causeway) and an
unnamed weanling filly by Pulpit.
Kimmel said Rare Gift will head to Florida for a freshening and return to the
races next season.