Gal in a Rush looks to repeat in Hendrie
:quality(75))
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Christophe Clement had one of his most lucrative days as a trainer when he won the $2 million Canadian International with Relaxed Gesture and the $500,000 Nearctic Stakes with Steel Light on the same Woodbine card in 2005.
Miguel Clement, who recently took over training the operation from his late father, notched his first Woodbine stakes win with Love Cervere in the June 21 Alywow. He sends out stretch-runner Gal in a Rush on Saturday in her quest to win the Grade 3, $150,000 Hendrie for the second year in a row, with local trainer Gail Cox saddling the mare.
“She is very versatile,” Clement said of Gal in a Rush. “She has an affinity for Canada, and the stable has had a lot of success in Canada. Gail Cox has been an absolute superstar and has done such a wonderful job with our horses when they race at Woodbine.”
Gal in a Rush checked in second behind favored Earhart in her May 3 season opener in the Grade 3 Whimsical. She had a wide journey while closing from 10th to fourth most recently in the Grade 3 Royal North on the grass.
“She ran well,” Clement said in regard to the Royal North. “If you are a pessimist, it’s tough that she didn’t get the job done. If you are an optimist, she was beaten just over a length for all of it. She’s a very gutsy, game filly. The only question is if she will get there on time or not. We know she will run well – that’s a given. She has a great turn of foot.”
Among the other shippers in the 6 1/2-furlong Tapeta tilt are Ms. Tart, Lithe Spirit, and Nice as Pie.
Based at Presque Isle with trainer Kevin Rice, Ms. Tart is back in action on short rest after coming up empty in last Saturday’s Grade 2 Nassau going a mile on the main turf. She paid $70.65 to win when landing the 6 1/2-furlong Royal North from far off a fast pace in her penultimate start.
The Steve Asmussen-trained Lithe Spirit took back-to-back Tapeta stakes during the winter at Turfway before a non-effort most recently on the grass in the Grade 3 Giant’s Causeway at Keeneland.
Nice as Pie, a multiple stakes winner at Turfway for trainer Kelsey Danner, was a beaten favorite in each of her last two outings there in March. She was previously second to Lithe Spirit in the Jan. 25 Wishing Well Stakes before winning a conditioned allowance in February.
Trainer Mark Casse entered Creed’s Gold, Run for the Hills, and Ticker Tape Home.
Creed’s Gold prevailed in her most recent Tapeta race in a first-level allowance in January at Gulfstream, after which she was competitive in allowance company on the grass.
Run for the Hills won a conditioned allowance last time out by disqualification on the turf at Churchill. She was winless in six Tapeta starts during her formative years.
Ticker Tape Home faded from second to fifth when exiting the sidelines in the Whimsical. She’s coming off a resilient third at 39-1 in the Royal North.
Ecstasy, unraced since November, was supplemented by trainer Sid Attard.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.