Gorgeous Ginny gets a short break after strong debut

ARCADIA, Calif. – Gorgeous Ginny became 2017’s first juvenile winner in Southern California with a victory in a maiden race for California-bred fillies at Santa Anita on Thursday.

Because of a lack of stakes for 2-year-olds in late spring, Gorgeous Ginny’s career will not resume until July. The gap in races is not an issue for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

The Santa Anita spring-summer meeting has two $100,000 stakes for 2-year-olds at 5 1/2 furlongs on July 2: the Landaluce for fillies and the Santa Anita Juvenile, which is essentially for males. Gorgeous Ginny could run in the Landaluce or the $100,000 CTBA Stakes for California-bred fillies at 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 2.

“We’ll take our time with her,” Diodoro said.

Gorgeous Ginny ($4.20) led throughout Thursday’s race at 4 1/2 furlongs, winning by 5 1/4 lengths over Ismelucky in 52 seconds.

“We expected that performance,” Diodoro said. “She’s bred to run long and built to run long. She should run on the grass.”

Gorgeous Ginny is the first winner for Take Charge Indy, who stood in Kentucky through the 2016 breeding season and now stands in Korea. Gorgeous Ginny is out of Brooke’s Halo, who won the Grade 2 Hollywood Oaks in 2005.

Gorgeous Ginny is owned by Randy Howg. Diodoro said the filly was purchased for $70,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale in 2016 minutes after officially being listed as a buyback for the same price.