Birdatthewire comes on strong at the end to win Forward Gal

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Dale Romans has been touting Taylor S as one of the fastest young fillies he ever has trained, but the race isn’t always to the swiftest.

Instead, it was the “other” Romans filly, Birdatthewire, who closed like a freight train Saturday to win her stakes debut, the Grade 2, $200,000 Forward Gal at Gulfstream Park. She returned $26.80 to win after finishing seven furlongs in 1:24.92 over a fast track.

Birdatthewire, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., prevailed by 3 1/4 lengths over the 11-1 shot Lassothemohicans in a field of 11 3-year-old fillies. Taylor S, a 7-2 shot who raced just behind the leaders for much of the way, finished a neck back in third, with Ekati’s Phaeton fourth. Seduire, the 2-1 favorite, faded to seventh, while Enchantress (4-1) was eighth.

Birdatthewire, by Summer Bird, was coming off a series of two-turn races, ending with a maiden victory Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs in her fourth career start.

“She’s a good filly, the kind of filly that’ll keep getting better,” said Romans. “I thought she’d fit real well here if the pace set up for her here. She really came running. The jock rode her perfect. Everything’s good.”

Birdatthewire is owned by Forum Racing, an Indiana-based partnership. About 50 crowded into a raucous winner’s circle.

This was the 39th running of the Forward Gal, which leads to the one-mile Davona Dale on Feb. 28 in the Gulfstream divisional series. Romans said the Davona Dale is a logical next spot for Birdatthewire, with the Ashland and Kentucky Oaks “hopefully farther down the road.”

The $2 exacta (4-8) paid $228.40, the $1 trifecta (4-8-3) returned $433.10, and the 10-cent superfecta (4-8-3-7) was worth $357.32.