Juddmonte Farms’ homebred TREAT GENTLY (GB) (Cape Cross [Ire]) had no
shortage of back class from her old days in Europe, but the five-year-old had
yet to assert that level of form in her graded attempts in North America.
Rebounding from a pair of disappointing efforts this spring, the Bill Mott mare
rectified that situation in short order in Saturday’s $150,000
Sheepshead Bay S. (G2) at Belmont Park.
Treat Gently tracked a slow early tempo of :24 2/5, :49 2/5, 1:13 4/5 and
1:38 2/5, brushed aside the pacesetting Pari (Sky Classic) while still on cruise
control, and drew off to record a dominating 4 1/2-length score. Sent off as the
4-1 third choice with Kent Desormeaux aboard, the winner negotiated 1 3/8 miles
on the firm inner turf in 2:14 and returned $10.40, $5.90 and $3.70.
“She’s a quality filly and we just had to get everything right,” Mott said.
“We tried her at a mile and a sixteenth last time (when sixth in the Jenny Wiley
S. [G2] at Keeneland) — that was my mistake. I thought she would be able to
handle that trip, and it wasn’t meant to be, so we put her back at a distance
more appropriate for her. In the race, she was kind, she settled nicely for
Kent, and consequently finished very well.”
“Maybe she just didn’t have her day at Keeneland,” Desormeaux offered. “She’s
had success at Belmont — maybe she likes it here. Altogether, she was super
today. Mr. Mott had her blowing fire. My trip was perfect. Could you draw one up
like that every day for me? That’d be fine.”
Nehantic Kat (Tomorrows Cat), who had anchored the field through the opening
mile, outfinished Bubbly Jane (Brz) (Yagli) by a nose for runner-up honors. The
9-2 Nehantic Kat paid $5.10 and $3.20, while Bubbly Jane gave back $2.90 to show
as the 5-2 second choice. The Gaillimh Girl (Ire) (Montjeu [Ire]), the 2-1
favorite, raced in striking position throughout but could not quicken with the
top three and stayed on for fourth. The exotics totaled $52 (exacta), $155 (trifecta)
and $412 (2-5-6-7 superfecta). Liberally (Ire) (Statue of Liberty), Ballynoe
(Distorted Humor) and Pari rounded out the order of finish, and Tarrip (Green
Desert) was scratched.
Treat Gently’s second career stakes victory advanced her record to 13-4-4-0,
$362,870. Originally based in France with Andre Fabre, the bay rapidly graduated
from maiden winner to group performer in the summer of 2008. Treat Gently
captured the Prix de Malleret (Fr-G2) in a three-way photo, with Dar Re Mi (GB)
(Singspiel [Ire]) in third. Bookending that victory were a pair of runner-up
efforts in the Prix de Royaumont (Fr-G3) and Prix de la Nonette (Fr-G3).
Treat Gently proved herself at the elite level when crossing the wire third
in that season’s Prix Vermeille (Fr-G1), beaten only by the perfect Zarkava and
the improving Dar Re Mi. Unfortunately, she was disqualified after testing
positive for a banned substance. The substance in question, however, was
testosterone, which she was producing internally because of an ovarian tumor.
Despite the fact that she was not administered the substance, but was secreting
it naturally herself, Treat Gently was still stripped of her Group 1 placing.
Following the well-worn path of past Juddmonte celebrities, Treat Gently was
shipped to the United States to join Bobby Frankel. She made a winning debut for
the late Hall of Famer in an allowance/optional claimer at Belmont last July,
but met with a setback and was not seen again until October. Treat Gently
returned in the E.P. Taylor S. (Can-G1), where she argued the pace, only to fade
to sixth. Transferred to Mott in the wake of Frankel’s death, she rallied for
second in the January 2 San Gorgonio H. (G2) at Santa Anita in her first outing
for her new barn. Treat Gently could not build upon that effort in her next two,
tiring to a distant seventh in the March 21 Santa Ana H. (G2) and winding up a
non-threatening sixth in the April 10 Jenny Wiley.
Treat Gently hails from one of the most illustrious families in the modern
Stud Book. She is the first registered foal from the winning Kid Gloves (In the
Wings [GB]), who has since produced the French stakes-placed Ideology (Oasis
Dream [GB]) and an unraced sophomore colt named Handheld (Observatory). Kid
Gloves is a half-sister to the blue hen Hasili (Ire) (Kahyasi), the dam of
English/French highweight and top sire Dansili (GB) (Danehill), European and
American champion Banks Hill (GB) (Danehill), American champion Intercontinental
(GB) (Danehill), 2009 Canadian Horse of the Year Champs Elysees (GB) (Danehill)
and multiple Grade 1 turf stars Cacique (Ire) (Danehill) and Heat Haze (GB)
(Green Desert). Hasili’s current three-year-old, Deluxe (Storm Cat), will try to
join the club in Sunday’s Prix Saint-Alary (Fr-G1) at Longchamp.
This is also the family of American champion Leroidesanimaux (Brz) (Candy
Stripes), English juvenile co-highweight Three Valleys (Diesis [GB]) and
English/Irish highweight older mare Promising Lead (GB) (Danehill).
Mott mentioned the June 19 New York S. (G2) as a next likely objective.