Gallant Bloom victory puts Kimari in conversation for Breeders' Cup Sprint
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Kimari, easy winner of Sunday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Gallant Bloom Stakes, will be pointed to the Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 5 at Keeneland. The question is whether she runs in the $2 million Sprint against males or the $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint.
The Sprint is run at six furlongs, while the Filly and Mare Sprint is run at seven. Kimari has faced males four times, winning her debut in 2019 by 15 lengths going 4 1/2 furlongs at Keeneland and beating males again in the Indian Summer Stakes, a turf sprint. She also finished second against males in the Group 1 Commonwealth at Royal Ascot in 2020.
Kimari won the Grade 1 Madison going seven furlongs against females at Keeneland in April 2021 and finished third in that race this year. Overall, she is 4 for 6 on dirt, with her two losses coming at seven furlongs. The Gallant Bloom, which she won in hand by 1 1/4 lengths, was run at 6 1/2 furlongs.
“I think she’s better at six than seven and I know she’s better at Keeneland,” trainer Wesley Ward said. “I would prefer going six. I know she’d be a stronger favorite against the fillies. I’ll sit down with the owners and see where they’re at.”
Kimari is owned by the Coolmore connections of Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor as well as Jonathan Poulin and Westerberg.
Kimari earned a 106 Beyer Speed Figure for her Gallant Bloom victory, topping the 105 she earned in the Honorable Miss on July 27 at Saratoga.
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