Overbrook Farm’s homebred CAPE HOPE (Cape Town) raced in second for much of
Saturday’s $100,000
Herecomesthebride S. (G3) before rallying in
the stretch to take the nine-furlong test in 1:48 1/5 on the good turf at Gulfstream Park. Jockey
Jose Santos settled the Dallas Stewart charge in second and just to the outside
of Royal Bean (Royal Academy), who set splits of reasonable splits of :25, :49
4/5 and 1:13 4/5 for the opening six furlongs. As the field entered the far
turn, Cape Hope shifted into another gear and started to pull away, but she suddenly
found Dynamite Lass (Dynaformer) coming fast to her outside. The wire came in
the nick of time as Cape Hope finished three parts of a length ahead of her game
rival.
Sent off the 3-2 favorite, the winner gave back $5, $3 and $2.20 while
starting the $1 exotics of $9 (exacta), $42.20 (trifecta) and $121.50 (9-4-1-8
superfecta). Dynamite Lass was worth $4 and $2.80 at 4-1, and Dansetta Light
(Colony Light) came in another two lengths back in third to pay $3.60 at 11-1.
Paddy’s Daisy (King of Kings [Ire]) rounded out the top four and was followed by
Grat (A.P. Indy), Dynamist (Dynaformer), Royal Bean and Character Builder
(Coronado’s Quest). Classy Charm (Silver Charm), K. D.’s Shady Lady (Maria’s
Mon) and Mi Luna Nueva (El Prado [Ire]) were all withdrawn.
Cape Hope captured the Gaily Gaily S. prior to this one and now owns a
lifetime record of 6-4-0-1 with $135,690 in earnings. The bay sophomore also
remained perfect on the turf, extending her grass mark to four-for-four. Bred in Kentucky, she is out of the
multiple stakes-placed Corporate Debut (Corporate Report) and has an unnamed
juvenile half-sister by Carson City.