Gulfstream Park notes: Groupie Doll to stay in Florida before trip to breeding shed

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Groupie Doll will remain at Gulfstream Park for the next few days before being vanned to Ocala, where preparations will begin for the star mare to begin her new life as a broodmare, according to trainer Buff Bradley.

Racing under the pink and gold silks of the Whisper Hill Farm of Mandy Pope, Groupie Doll ended her racing career in spectacular fashion Sunday at Gulfstream, winning the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie Stakes “from here to maternity,” as the late racing writer Jack Mann once wrote about a mare named Tappiano. After trailing down the backstretch, Groupie Doll swooped last to first with an outside rush before prevailing by an eased-up seven lengths.

“That race was pretty awesome,” Bradley said early Monday. “If I was still her owner, I’d probably be tempted to run her again, as good as she still is. But I understand and respect what Mandy is doing, and I’m just glad I’ve been part of all this.”

Pope purchased Groupie Doll at auction for $3.1 million on Nov. 6, four days after the mare won the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint for the second straight year to clinch a second straight divisional championship. Pope was quite emotional in the winner’s circle in describing how moved she was by Groupie Doll’s performance.

Still, Pope gave no indication whatsoever that Groupie Doll will do any more racing.

“We haven’t discussed all the logistics yet, but I know the mare will go to GoldMark Farm in Ocala, where they’ll monitor her heat cycles and probably keep her there a little while,” said Bradley, who co-bred and co-owned Groupie Doll before she was sold. “She’ll be kept in light training there with Todd Quast. They’ve had quite a bit of luck with that method and getting mares in foal.”

Groupie Doll will then be sent to Kentucky, where she is scheduled to be bred within the next month to Tapit. After getting in foal, she will reside at Timber Town Stable near Lexington, Ky., where Pope keeps many of the horses in her stellar broodmare band.

Besides her two Eclipse Awards, Groupie Doll retires with 12 wins from 23 starts and earnings of $2,648,850.

“I’ve said it a lot of times, but having Groupie Doll has been incredibly special to us,” said Bradley. “It really has been a remarkable ride.”