Kimari has easy time with Gallant Bloom Stakes
Kimari accomplished two objectives Sunday at Aqueduct. First, she won the Grade 2, $250,000 Gallant Bloom Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths. Second, she did so with plenty left for next month’s Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland.
Stalking the pacesetting Lady Rocket through moderate fractions, Kimari gradually crept closer to Lady Rocket on her own and, without feeling the leather of Joel Rosario’s whip, she reeled-in Lady Rocket to win handily. It was 9 1/2 lengths back to Sterling Silver in third. Cheetara finished fourth, followed by Remain Anonymous.
The win was the ninth from 16 starts for Kimari, who increased her career purse earnings to $1,118,827 for the Coolmore connections of Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor, Jonathan Poulin and Westerberg.
The race couldn’t have gone any better for Kimari. Breaking from the outside post, Kimari put herself into the race and was stalking Lady Rocket through an opening quarter in 23.55 seconds and a half-mile in 46.98.
Turning for home, Lady Rocket, under Irad Ortiz Jr., tried to open up, but Kimari was gradually gaining, finally reeling her in 70 yards or so from the wire. Kimari, a 5-year-old daughter of Munnings, covered the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.58 and returned $3.20 to win. Kimari was given a 106 Beyer Speed Figure.
“Looked good didn’t it?” winning trainer Wesley Ward said. “The only thing is [exercise rider] Julio Garcia lets all my good horses get outworked at home and at the eighth pole I was a little concerned. But when Joel moved a little bit, her class carried on.”
Rosario said Kimari was comfortable so he saw no need to go to the whip.
“She was loving what she was doing out there,” Rosario said. “For a second, I was worried the horse in front of me would keep moving forward, but my filly kept gaining and I had a lot of confidence.”
The Gallant Bloom was chosen by Ward over the Thoroughbred Club of America at Keeneland on Oct. 8 in part because it gives Kimari six weeks to the Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 5. Now, Ward and his owners must figure out whether to run in the $2 million BC Sprint against the boys at six furlongs or the $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint against females at seven furlongs.
“I think she’s better at six than seven and I know she’s better at Keeneland,” Ward said. “I would prefer going six, I know she’d be a stronger favorite against the fillies. I’ll sit down with the owners and see where they’re at.”
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