Fierce Lady, Time Limit rematched in Gimma Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – It was not by design that Fierce Lady came from off the pace when she won the $200,000 Seeking the Ante Stakes last month in Saratoga. That she exhibited the ability to rate, however, makes her even more dangerous as the probable favorite in Wednesday’s $150,000 Joseph A. Gimma Stakes for New York-bred juvenile fillies at Belmont Park.

Fierce Lady has drawn the outside in a field of six set to run seven furlongs in the Joseph A. Gimma. Five of the six are coming off wins, while Time Limit was beaten a neck by Fierce Lady in the Seeking the Ante.

Dermot Magner said Fierce Lady just stood in the gate and didn’t react quickly when the stall doors opened at the start of the Seeking the Ante. So instead of being on the lead – which she had been in her first two starts – Fierce Lady was fourth and three wide early on.

Still, she showed enough gumption to overcome a new set of circumstances and outlast the pacesetting Time Limit to the wire.

“She rated the last time, that wasn’t really the plan to rate,” Magner said. “It worked out that way. Hopefully, she’ll break a little sharper.”

Fierce Lady, a daughter of Competitive Edge, was a six-length debut winner here in June before finishing second in the Stillwater on July 18 at Saratoga after having shipped to Kentucky for an auction at which she failed to meet her reserve.

Time Limit broke very sharp in the Seeking the Ante and set the early pace under Irad Ortiz Jr. before grudgingly giving way. She finished 5 1/4 lengths clear of My Italian Rabbi, who came back to win the Lady Finger Stakes by 6 3/4 lengths on Sept. 9 at Finger Lakes.

With Ortiz committing to Irish Danzing, trainer Mike Maker has tabbed Manny Franco to ride Time Limit. Franco, buoyed by his five-win afternoon last Friday, is the leading rider at this young meet with 13 wins.

Ortiz guided Irish Danzing to a 6 1/4-length debut victory at Saratoga going six furlongs Aug. 29. While trainer Christophe Clement is not keen on running the filly back in 20 days, he believes it beats the alternative of waiting for the next New York-bred stakes on Oct. 19.

“She’s doing too well for me not to run,” Clement said. “She’s acting too well. She looks too well. She’s training forwardly, so let’s go.”

Thea’s Theme, a daughter of Bayern, won her debut going 6 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga for trainer Jeremiah Englehart, who has Jose Ortiz back aboard.

Ilchester Cheetah, a debut winner at Laurel, and Naked Avenger, who came from off the pace to win her debut over a sloppy track on Aug. 21, complete the field.

The Joseph A. Gimma is the seventh race on an eight-race card that begins at 3 p.m. It also is the penultimate leg of the Empire 6, which begins the day with a $215,976 carryover.