Tarifa, the star three-year-old filly in New Orleans last winter, won for the first time since those Big Easy days in the $242,500 Mother Goose (G2) at Aqueduct on Saturday.
It was hard work, though. Hounded on the lead throughout the nine-furlong journey by odds-on favorite Gun Song, Tarifa briefly yielded the lead to that rival in midstretch but rerallied on the rail to regain command shortly before the wire.
“Leaving the gate she took a little stutter step there and grabbed somebody’s heel and pulled a shoe,” said Dustin Dugas, assistant to trainer Brad Cox. “It was a very game effort. A good heads-up ride by Flavien [Prat] — he said in the paddock if he could get to the lead and take it to [Gun Song], he was going to. He did just that.”
The winning margin was a head over Gun Song, who had outfinished Tarifa when the pair last met in the Sept. 21 Cotillion (G1). Closing fast for third was Pretty Ana, a 14-1 chance who was only a head behind Gun Song. Completing the order of finish was Dorothy’s Dreams and Headline Numbers.
A homebred racing for Godolphin, Tarifa finished up 1 1/8 miles over a fast track in 1:50.78. She paid $6.10.
This was the third career stakes win for Tarifa, who earlier this season captured both the Rachel Alexandra (G2) and Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) en route to the Kentucky Oaks (G1). A subpar ninth of 14 at Churchill Downs, Tarifa was off until August, when she finished second in the Audubon Oaks at Ellis Park. She was most recently third in the Cotillion at Parx, won by presumptive division champion Thorpedo Anna by a neck over Gun Song.
Bred in Kentucky, Tarifa has now won five of nine starts. She is by Bernardini and out of Kite Beach, a daughter of Awesome Again and Grade 2 winner Tizdubai.
Earlier in the card, Runninsonofagun was elevated to first in the $175,000 Bold Ruler (G3) following the disqualification of My Buddy B, who drifted out during the stretch run and bumped Runninsonofagun before crossing the wire a nose in front.
There was a 5 1/4-length gap to Twenty Four Mamba, while 6-5 favorite Scotland trailed the field of seven.
This was the second win in the Bold Ruler for Runninsonofagun, who captured the 2022 edition of the six-furlong dash by a nose. Ridden Saturday by Joel Rosario, Runninsonofagun paid $34 for owner Karen Zimmerman and trainer John Toscano Jr.
Coastal Mission tuned up for the Dec. 7 Cigar Mile (G2) with a one-length victory over longtime leader Nelson Avenue in the $250,000 Forty Niner (G3). Winit finished a length behind in third, while 2-1 choice Jefferson Street finished fifth in the field of eight.
Under Arnaldo Bocachica, Coastal Mission covered one mile in 1:36.10 and paid $11. The five-year-old West Virginia-bred is owned and trained by Jeff Runco.
