Promiseher America wins Gazelle as longest shot in the race
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OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Promiseher America, coming off just a maiden victory and facing five multiple winners, pulled off a 26-1 upset in Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct to earn herself a potential spot in the Kentucky Oaks on May 5.
Sitting a stalking second under Jorge Vargas Jr., Promiseher America forged to the lead at the five-sixteenths pole, turned aside a challenge from Occult, then held off a late run from Gambling Girl to win the Gazelle by a half-length. It was 1 1/2 lengths back to Shidabhuti in third.
Capella, who set the pace, finished fourth and was followed by Occult and Frosty O Toole.
The win earned Promiseher America 100 qualifying points to the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks. Promiseher America is not nominated to the Kentucky Oaks, but will be made a late nominee for $1,500, trainer Ray Handal said. The late nomination fee is due on April 15.
Though Promiseher America was coming off a maiden win on Feb. 19, Handal pointed the filly to the Gazelle because he felt the daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah would appreciate the 1 1/8 miles and two turns.
“Distance was one of the biggest reasons why I came here,” Handal said. “I thought she’d love the two turns. She’s built like a two-turn filly.”
There was not much early speed in the Gazelle. Capella, breaking from the rail under Kendrick Carmouche, was stalked by Promiseher America with Occult, making her first start in three months, outside of her three wide.
The trio was within a length of each other through six furlongs in 1:14.37. Leaving the three-eighths pole, Promiseher America went to the lead with Occult, under Dylan Davis, running with her. Shidhabuti, under Dylan Davis, and Gambling Girl, under Jose Ortiz, launched their bids from the back of the pack.
In upper stretch, Promiseher America turned aside Occult and then held off a late rally from Gambling Girl to secure the win.
“She was between horses but she’s very relaxed,” Vargas said. “She was waiting on me to give her a cue and do whatever I wanted to do. By the three-eighths, five-sixteenths I started getting after her a little bit and she really responded well, and then she got to waiting on horses. That made me happy because I knew if they got close to me she was going to keep fighting and that’s what she did.”
Promiseher America, owned by Hoffman Thoroughbreds and Tom McCrocklin, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.41 and returned $55 as the longest shot on the board.
Promiseher America gave Handal his first graded stakes victory as a trainer in his 30th try in such a race and a day after he finished second in Friday’s Grade 3 Distaff with Funny How, who was the 5-2 second choice.
“Finally, I can get that friggin’ monkey off my damn back,” Handal said.
Gazelle second- and third -place finishers Gambling Girl (61 points) and Shidhabuti (80 points) likely have enough points to get in the Oaks field if their connections desire to run.
Handal said he would likely keep Promiseher America in New York for as long as possible before shipping to Kentucky. Horses for both the Oaks and the Kentucky Derby must be on the Churchill Downs grounds by 11 a.m. on May 1.
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