Gerrards Cross takes early lead all the way in Colleen Stakes
?q=100)
Not one, not two, not three, and not four... but five of the eight 2-year-olds in the Colleen Stakes on Sunday at Monmouth Park had led at the first call in their most recent race. Three strides in, one – and only one – among the octet had taken up a position at the vanguard. Gerrards Cross, a 13-1 shot, broke like a missile, had a length on all the other pace players in about three strides, and never seriously felt a challenge going on to a 2 1/2-length score in the $100,000 Colleen, a turf sprint for 2-year-old fillies.
Slick Merlin, a 12-1 chance, finished a one-paced second over 8-1 Nacho Problem. Spinelli, favored by a few bucks over Spectacular Grey, both at 9-5, checked in fourth. Spectacular Grey never landed a blow and was last. Clowning Around and Santina, as trainer Wesley Ward announced Thursday, were scratched, as was Thank You Amy.
Luca Panici had ridden Gerrards Cross in her lone start, a winning dirt sprint debut at Gulfstream Park, but Sonny Leon took the mount Sunday for trainer Kathleen O’Connell. Off rousing splits of 21.29 and 44.71, Gerrards Cross ran five furlongs over a firm course in 57.50.
A Florida homebred owned by James Chicklo, Gerrards Cross is by Midshipman out of Spanish Concert, by Concerto. O’Connell suspected the filly would take to turf. She already knew how fast her horse is.
“She’s just natural with her speed. Look at the fractions. You could see she was doing it easily,” O’Connell said. “I don’t think she necessarily had to have the lead. I just think she needed to get out of there and be forwardly placed.”
On paper, that’s how it looked for four other fillies racing in the Colleen. Gerrards Cross proved fastest – at the beginning, and at the end, too.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.