BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Gerrards Cross takes her recent victory in the $98,000 Monmouth County Stakes into the $200,000 Galway Stakes at Saratoga Saturday as one of three Florida-breds entered to sprint five-and-a-half furlongs on the turf. A total of nine 3-year-old fillies have entered including one who will start only if the race is taken off the grass and moved to the main track.
The Kathleen O’Connell-trained Gerrards Cross joins fellow Sunshine State natives Mythical and Triskelion in pursuit the winner’s share of the purse plus a $4,000 Export Incentive from the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association paid to their respective breeders with an out-of-state victory at this level.
A winner of the $112,000 Colleen Stakes going five furlongs on the Monmouth Park turf last year to stay unbeaten in her second career start, Gerrards Cross then had two off-the-board finishes over the winter at Tampa Bay Downs, both in on dirt. She was seventh in the $102,000 Sandpiper in December and sixth in the $120,000 Gasparilla in January.
O’Connell gave the chestnut daughter of Midshipman a five-month break then brought her back on turf in the $100,000 Stormy Blues going five-and-a-half furlongs at Laurel Park on June 14. She responded with a big effort, finishing second, beaten only a neck when caught at the wire by Hark Theangelssing. She was then a convincing winner of the Monmouth County at the same distance on the grass at Monmouth Park, winning by two-and-a-quarter lengths after clearly leading at every point of call.
A homebred for James M. Chicklo of Ocala, Gerrards Cross is out of Spanish Concert, by Concerto and has earned $167,800 while winning half of her six career races with one second.
Dylan Davis will ride Gerrards Cross for the first time and they will depart post one. Gerrards Cross is 6-1 on the morning line.
Mythical was a two-time winner at Saratoga last year, scoring in the five-and-a-half-furlong Tremont (Listed) versus colts and geldings and in the six-and-a-half-furlong Adirondack (G3), but makes her debut on turf in the Galway.
An Arindel homebred trained by Jorge Delgado, Mythical shortens up after pressing the pace in the six-and-a-half-furlong Victory Ride (G3) at Saratoga on July 10, only to tire and finish eighth. She was better in her previous race at Saratoga when third in the six-furlong Jersey Girl on June 4.
In two previus starts, Mythical won the $122,000 Any Limit by two lengths and the $100,000 FHBPA Sophomore Fillies Sprint by five-and-a-half lengths against Florida-breds in April, both on the main track Gulfstream Park.
Mythical is by St Patrick’s Day out of Lailoni, by Brethren and has banked $704,965 in her 11-race career, by far tops among the Galway entrants. She has seven wins and a third.
Regular rider Edgard Zayas has the call from post eight and they are listed at 9-2 on the morning line.
Triskelion looks for her third win in four starts since breaking her maiden by nearly two lengths at Gulfstream in November.
She too had a nice six months away before resuming her career in June at Churchill Downs where she was second, a half-length off winner Something Stronger in a first level allowance race going five-and-a-half furlongs on the grass on June 12. She enters off a nice victory in the $122,000 Pea Patch at the same distance at Ellis Park on July 5.
Triskelion is trained by George Arnold for Amy E. Dunne of Ocala, who bred Triskelion with her husband Ciaran G. Dunne and Ashbrook Farm. The chestnut daughter of Leinster is out of Victorian Gold (Ire), by Australia (GB) and has $152,003 in earnings from a consistently productive two wins, two seconds and two thirds in six starts.
Luis Saez has the riding assignment on Triskelion, who is 5-1 in the program and has post seven.
Rounding out the field are Epic Lady Luck with Javier Castellano in the irons, jockey Jose Ortiz teams up with Oscar’s Encore, Queen Juno will have Kendrick Carmouche up, Manny Franco rides Cadenza and Mauna Loa will carry Irad Ortiz Jr. L’éclair is entered under main track only conditions.
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