Mean Mary shows her class in Gallorette comeback victory
BALTIMORE - As far as a first race back off a layoff goes, Mean Mary’s facile half-length length victory in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Gallorette Stakes at Pimlico couldn’t have gone any better.
Mean Mary’s tactical advantage on paper played out on the Pimlico turf course as the 5-year-old mare got loose on an easy lead - she ran a half-mile in 50.92 seconds and six furlongs in 1:15.29 - and was only hand-ridden to the wire by Luis Saez with Vigilante’s Way, under Jose Ortiz, putting in a late run to make it look close while finishing second by a length over Great Island.
Flighty Lady was fourth followed by Feel Glorious. Tuned was scratched as she was only entered by trainer Graham Motion as insurance for Mean Mary, whom he also trains.
Mean Mary, a daughter of Scat Daddy owned by Alex Campbell Jr., was making her first start since running seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf last November. Motion chose this race as a starting point over the Grade 2, $750,000 New York at Belmont because he felt it would be easier.
When no other rider chose to put pressure on Mean Mary, Motion proved correct.
“I didn’t know they would let her go that easy on the lead, my main concern was that she would settle,” said Motion, who won his third Gallorette.
Ortiz, on Vigilante’s Way, felt his filly was compromised by a slow start in which she bumped with Great Island.
“If I broke one jump better, I would have beat her for sure,” Ortiz said.
Mean Mary, who improved her career record to 6-2-0 from 10 start, covered the 1 1/16 miles over firm turf in 1:43.10 and returned $3.60 as the odds-on favorite. She earned an 86 Beyer Speed Figure.
“She did it pretty easy,” Saez said. “I didn’t have to use my stick for anything. She did it on her own.”
Motion said he wouldn’t rule out coming back in three weeks in the New York Stakes at Belmont Park on June 4.
“I’m not saying we’re definitely going to do it, but I wouldn’t rule it out to be honest,” Motion said.
Motion said one of his summer goals for Mean Mary is the Grade 1, $400,000 Beverly D. at Arlington Park on Aug. 14.
“It’s a race I’ve always wanted to win, we won’t get many more chances to do that,” Motion said.