Watsdachances stays closer to win Gallorette

BALTIMORE – When morning-line favorite Hard Not to Like scratched out of Saturday’s Grade 3 Gallorette Handicap, it was a blessing and a curse for the connections of Watsdachances.

While it took a major contender out of the race, it also meant that, at least on paper, there was no speed in the race.

But races don’t always materialize on the track as they look on paper, and the early fractions in the Gallorette were actually faster than they were last year, when Watsdachances finished second, beaten a half-length.

This year, Watsdachances finished first, rallying from seventh place and four wide under Javier Castellano to run down Emotional Kitten and win the $150,000 Gallorette by one length at Pimlico. Emotional Kitten finished second by 1 1/4 lengths over Sistas Stroll.

The win was the fifth for Watsdachances from 16 career starts and her first since she won the Summer Secretary Stakes by a neck at Aqueduct in November 2013.

On Saturday, Watsdachances was making her first start since running fourth in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl at Belmont Park last Sept. 27.

Castellano said he was concerned about the potential lack of pace in the Gallorette, but he didn’t want to change his 5-year-old mare’s running style, which is to come from off the pace.

Castellano had Watsdachances in seventh position, about 5 1/2 lengths behind Token of Love, who alternated on the lead with Oscar Party through a quarter of 23.69 seconds and a half-mile in 47.42.

Castellano remained wide but free of traffic around the turn and came into the stretch four wide and accelerating. Emotional Kitten, who was fourth early, made the lead in midstretch but could not hold off Watsdachances.

Watsdachances, an Irish-bred daughter of Diamond Green, covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.79 over a firm Pimlico turf course, just 0.47 seconds off the course and stakes record set by Precious Kitten in 2007. She returned $6.80 as the favorite.

“I don’t want to be too far back, I don’t want to be too close to the pace,” Castellano said. “I think I put her in a good spot in the middle to give me a good run, and she did.”

Part-owner Peter Bradley said he and trainer Chad Brown felt Watsdachances would be a bit closer to the pace this year than she was last year.

“Javier had talked to Chad, and he and I said she ought to be closer today, and she was,” Bradley said. “Last year, when she got beat a head, she was 10 out of it. I don’t think she was ever more than five or six out of this race today. I think she’s a filly we’re going to have some fun with this year.”

Brown has now won this race three times in the last four years. He also won it in 2012 with Zagora and in 2013 with Pianist.