Gamble's Ghost takes a chance on turf in Natalma
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Gamble’s Ghost will look to build off her maiden win when she makes her graded stakes debut in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Natalma Stakes for 2-year-old fillies over one mile on Woodbine’s turf course. The winner will earn a fees-paid berth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland on Oct. 30.
Gamble’s Ghost won impressively at first asking here Aug. 14 in a seven-furlong sprint on Polytrack. After spotting the field seven lengths through the opening quarter, Gamble’s Ghost commenced her rally along the rail under Luis Contreras and would go on to win by 8 1/4 lengths with a 74 Beyer Speed Figure.
“She ran a terrific race,” said trainer Josie Carroll. “She’s got some grass in her family, and this would be the time to take a shot at it.”
Gamble’s Ghost breezed four furlongs in 48.80 seconds over Woodbine’s turf training track Sunday, and Carroll said the way Gamble’s Ghost handled the turf ultimately led to her entry in the Natalma.
“She handled it very well, and that was going to be the deciding factor,” she said. “If for some reason she didn’t look comfortable, we would have made alternate plans.”
KEY CONTENDERS
Gamble’s Ghost (Beyer: 74)
◗ Foals of sire Ghostzapper have a 14 percent strike rate on grass, and dam Gambling Girl has produced a turf winner.
Catch a Glimpse (Beyers: 71-43)
◗ She won the prep for this event on the lead as a maiden Aug. 22 after running a distant fifth in an off-the-turf race at Saratoga on July 30.
“We thought she had some talent,” trainer Mark Casse said. “We took her to Saratoga. The race came off the turf, and we ran her anyway. She just jumped up and down. I thought her win [in the prep] was easier than it looked. She was very green. She sees a lot of things, but afterwards, she took off again.”
Most Inspiring (Beyer: 68)
◗ The first winner for champion Gio Ponti, Most Inspiring debuted with a 3 1/4-length victory on turf here July 31. Contreras was aboard that day and has opted to stick with Gamble’s Ghost. Alan Garcia inherits the mount on Most Inspiring, who will add Lasix.
Silky Girl (Beyers: 71-59)
◗ She ships in for trainer Rick Violette Jr. off her maiden victory over 1 1/16 miles on turf at Saratoga on Aug. 16.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Skinner Box finished third at 24-1 in the Natalma last year for Violette, his only graded stakes starter at Woodbine in the past five years.
She’ll Do It (Beyer: 85)
◗ She drew away from the field to win by 4 1/4 lengths with an 85 Beyer in her career debut Aug. 8 in a five-furlong sprint. She’s recorded back-to-back bullet breezes ahead of this start.