Gulfstream Park: Groupie Doll set for swan song in Hurricane Bertie

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Buff Bradley was hoping things would go as well for him and his star Groupie Doll at Saturday evening’s Eclipse Awards dinner as they had earlier that day.

Groupie Doll, the 2012 champion female sprinter and two-time Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner, worked a very impressive five furlongs in 59.86 seconds Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park, shortly after which Bradley confirmed that she’ll make her final start before being retired to the breeding shed in the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie here Feb. 9.

Working shortly after the renovation break with regular exercise rider Jada Schlenk aboard, Groupie Doll cruised through an easy three-eighths in 36.76, then finished extremely well once settling into the stretch, covering her final quarter-mile in 23.10 while catching a trio of horses that had broken off well before her. She galloped out six panels in 1:12.21.

“I couldn’t have been more pleased with her work,” Bradley said. “I told Jada to just start her out easy and let her pick it up a little down the lane, and that’s exactly what she did. There were three horses in front of her nearing the wire, and she was really going after them, with Jada not moving on her at all.”

[Clocker Reports: Get Mike Welsch’s clocker reports from Gulfstream Park and Palm Meadows]

Bradley said the cooler weather – the temperature during training hours here Saturday was in the low 50s – has been a plus for Groupie Doll.

“I think the cooler weather does help her,” Bradley said. “We got her clipped last week, and that helped her, too. She’s pretty comfortable where she is now. I wasn’t concerned about her sweating once we got the hair off her. I’m glad we got a good, strong work into her today. This way, I can be easier on her next week.”

Mandy Pope, who purchased Groupie Doll for $3.1 million at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale, was in town to join Bradley at Saturday’s Eclipse Award festivities.