Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint: Groupie Doll nails down division title

Barbara D. Livingston

Groupie Doll draws away from her Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint rivals under jockey Rajiv Maragh.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Odds-on favorite Groupie Doll powered to a decisive victory in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Saturday at Santa Anita, capping an outstanding campaign while waving the flag for small-time breeding operations everywhere.

William “Buff” Bradley trains Groupie Doll, a 4-year-old filly bred in Kentucky by Bradley and his father Fred.

“I bred the horse and the trainer . . . both,” said the elder Bradley. He owns the filly with his son and minority partners Carl Hurst and Brent Burns.

Groupie Doll is a daughter of the late stallion Bowman’s Band, who stood for a $6,000 stud fee before he passed away. The filly’s dam, Deputy Doll, was struck by lightning and killed early this year.

In taking the Filly and Mare Sprint under jockey Rajiv Maragh, Groupie Doll was winning her fifth straight while clinching the Eclipse Award for champion female sprinter. Dust and Diamonds finished second, 3 1/4 lengths in front of Switch.

The race unfolded without incident. Groupie Doll broke sharply, and Maragh kept busy on her early. He pushed her to stay in contact, a plan he and Bradley had discussed.

[BREEDERS' CUP 2012: Saturday results and video replays]

“We wanted to keep her up closer,” Bradley said.

Teddy’s Promise set the pace from the rail, hounded by Dust and Diamonds though an opening quarter-mile in 22.23 and half in 44.19.

Groupie Doll stayed three and four wide in the clear. Losing ground was not an issue.

“I didn’t think there was need to save a length or two,” Maragh said.

His plan was to “get her clear, get her in her comfort zone, and let her do the rest.”

Dust and Diamonds inherited the lead passing the quarter pole, but was immediately challenged by a three-wide Groupie Doll. Maragh took a quick peek over his right shoulder to see if anyone was coming. They were not.

Groupie Doll hit the front near the eighth pole and pulled away in 1:20.72 over the glib Santa Anita dirt. Groupie Doll ($3.40) was the first favorite to win the Filly and Mare Sprint in six years.

Bradley plans to race Groupie Doll as a 5-year-old. She will return Sunday to Bradley’s farm in Kentucky.

Switch lost ground, rallied wide, and was up for third in what was likely her final race. She will be sold next week at the Fasig-Tipton sale in Kentucky.

The 2011 Filly and Mare Sprint winner, Musical Romance, finished sixth and also will be sold at Fasig-Tipton. Her owner-trainer, Bill Kaplan, said Musical Romance “had a good trip, she just got outrun.”

Groupie Doll has won 9 of 16 starts and earned $1,587,850.

The order of finish was: Groupie Doll, Dust and Diamonds, Switch, Belle of the Hall, Rumor, Musical Romance, Turbulent Descent, Teddy’s Promise, Great Hot, and Strike the Moon.