Conditions seem ripe for Gam's Mission in Winter Memories
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – A cutback in distance, a course likely to have some give in it, and a brief freshening should all benefit Gam’s Mission when she returns in Sunday’s $150,000 Winter Memories at Aqueduct.
A full field of 12 was entered in the race restricted to 3-year-old fillies and scheduled at 1 1/16 miles over the inner turf course.
Gam’s Mission, trained by Cherie DeVaux for Lazy F Ranch, reeled off three straight wins in the spring, two at today’s distance and one, the Grade 3 Regret at Churchill Downs, at 1 1/8 miles.
Gam’s Mission was unsuccessful trying to stretch out in distance as she was fourth, beaten two lengths in the Belmont Oaks at 1 1/4 miles, and fifth, beaten 4 3/4 lengths, in the Saratoga Oaks at 1 3/16 miles on Aug. 8. The latter race was run over extremely firm ground, which Gam’s Mission didn’t seem to handle as well as turf with some give in it.
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“She came out of that needing just a little bit of time to get over the race,” DeVaux said. “Not at Fair Grounds, not at Churchill has she run on a really firm turf course and I think that jarred her up a little bit.”
Luis Saez rides Gam’s Mission from post 4.
After going 0 for 2 on dirt, White Frost went 2 for 2 on turf, including a maiden victory here last Nov. 21 followed by a victory in the Grade 3 Sweetest Chant at Gulfstream on Jan. 30. Behind her in the Sweetest Chant were Con Lima, who subsequently went on to win four stakes, and Domain Expertise, who would win the Grade 3 Florida Oaks at Tampa before going to the sidelines.
Trainer Bill Mott said White Frost came out of the Sweetest Chant a bit sore and needed time off. She shows seven works for her return, including a three-furlong move in 35.80 seconds out of the gate at Saratoga on Nov. 5.
“Trainers always want another work. In this case I think this is when the race is. We think she’s fit enough to go over and give a good account of herself and hopefully the ground is okay,” said Mott, referring to rain that forced Friday’s four scheduled turf races to be run on dirt.
White Frost is by Candy Ride out of Miss Frost, a two-time stakes winner at Saratoga going a mile.
Junior Alvarado rides White Frost from post 6.
Trainer Graham Motion entered three in the Winter Memories. Invincible Gal has finished second in four of her eight stakes attempts, including a one-length loss to Lovestruck in the Tepin Stakes here last fall. Most recently, Invincible Gal finished third in the Glen Cove Stakes going seven furlongs at Belmont on Oct. 15.
Bipartisanship is coming off a maiden win at Laurel Park in her second start in this country after going 0 for 4 in Ireland. Batyah has not been seen since finishing fifth in the Grade 2 Jessamine Stakes 13 months ago at Keeneland after winning her debut at Belmont in September of 2020.
Runaway Rumour comes off a neck to loss to Fluffy Socks in the Grade 2 Sands Point. Quinevere, Bleecker Street, Plum Ali, Miss Dracarys, Out of Sorts, and Flown complete the field.