Godolphin Stable’s FLASHING (A.P. Indy) seized control from the outset of
Saturday’s $300,000
Gazelle
S. (G1), went unpressured through splits of :24 1/5, :48 3/5 and 1:12 4/5,
and darted home a 4 1/4-length winner in a time of 1:50 4/5 for nine furlongs
over the fast main track at Aqueduct. The 3-1 third choice in a field of eight
three-year-old fillies, Flashing gave back $8.50, $4.40 and $3.10 after
confident handling by Richard Migliore.
Unrivaled Belle (Unbridled’s Song), the 2-1 second choice, chased the winner
from second over one lap of the Big A oval. She was 2 1/2 lengths clear of 11-1
chance Bon Jovi Girl (Malibu Moon) at the line and paid $3.40 and $3. Bon Jovi
Girl, who returned $4.50, had three parts of a length to spare over Milwaukee
Appeal (Milwaukee Brew). The exacta paid $33.20, the trifecta $136.50 and the
2-4-5-3 superfecta gave back $478.40.
Following Milwaukee Appeal across the wire was 2-1 favorite Stardom Bound (Tapit),
last year’s juvenile filly champion making her first start in more than seven
months and her first ever on dirt. Trailing that one were Me Love (Giant’s
Causeway), Multipass (Olmodavor) and Peach Brew (Milwaukee Brew).
“Saeed was right not wanting to send her out to California,” assistant
trainer Rick Mettee said, referring to trainer Saeed bin Suroor’s decision not
to send the filly to the Breeders’ Cup earlier this month. “It was the right
thing to do to keep her and keep her fresh.”
“We’re going to talk it over and maybe she will race next year,” bin Suroor
added.
Flashing is now a perfect three-for-three over Aqueduct’s main track. After
breaking her maiden over the surface a year ago, the chestnut was unplaced
following a rough trip in the Busanda S. After passing two allowance conditions,
she returned to the stakes ranks to capture the Nassau County S. (G3) on May 2.
A distant last of three behind Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d’Oro) in the Mother
Goose S. (G1), Flashing rebounded to take the Test S. (G1) prior to a third in
the Presque Isle Downs Masters S. (G3) and a 12th in the Raven Run S. (G2), both
over synthetic. Flashing now owns a 10-6-0-2 record, with earnings of $633,226.
Bred in Kentucky by Gainsborough Farm, she is out of Group 3 heroine Morning
Pride (Ire) (Machiavellian) and hails from the same family as Canadian champion
and Broodmare of the Year Kamar (Key to the Mint). That one produced the likes
of multiple Grade 1 queen Gorgeous (Slew o’ Gold), Canadian champion Key to the
Moon (Wajima) and 1990 Kentucky Oaks (G1) heroine Seaside Attraction (Seattle
Slew).
Others of note in the family include champion turf male and European Horse of
the Year Fantastic Light (Rahy); 1995 champion juvenile filly Golden Attraction
(Mr. Prospector); French highweight and Group 1 hero Desert Lord (Green Desert);
1998 Florida Derby (G1) victor Cape Town (Seeking the Gold); and this year’s
Ruffian H. (G1) heroine Swift Temper (Giant’s Causeway).