BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Mag Racing LLC’s G W’S Girl, a winner of two of three career starts including the $150,000 Mockingbird at Oaklawn in her last start, returns Monday as the expected favorite in the $150,000 Dixie Belle over the same track. Florida-bred G W’S Girl will face seven other 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs in the rescheduled Dixie Belle—originally part of the Oaklawn card canceled last Saturday due to weather.
Settled patiently in the second flight by jockey Franciso Arrieta in the six-furlong Mockingbird, G W’s Girl rallied while four-wide in the turn to win by a length ahead of Shisospicy, a handy next-out winner of a $75,000 optional claiming at Oaklawn.
The Mockingbird was her first start on dirt after winning at first asking on the turf at Delaware Park in September then finishing fifth, two lengths behind winning colt Governor Sam in the $238,000 Indian Summer on the Keeneland grass on Oct. 6. Governor Sam would finish third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in his next start.
Trainer Greg Compton has sent G W’s Girl through two four-furlong works at Oaklawn since the Mockingbird, the last of which was a solid :49 flat breeze on Feb. 8—the 35th fastest of 112 at the distance that morning.
(G W’s Girl’s Feb. 8 Breeze Video)
Compton told the Oaklawn Park press team that the main objective for G W’s Girl is the $400,000 Middleground Capital Beaumont (G2) at Keeneland on April 6. The Beaumont is for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs and 184 feet.
G W’s Girl is by Munnings out of Essence of Audre, by Exchange Rate and was bred in Florida by Larry Alan Wynn.
Purchased by Mag Racing Stables for $130,000 out of the 2024 Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Sale where she was consigned by Triple J Equine Sales, G W’s Girl has career revenues of $110,000 in her three races.
(G W’s Girl’s Under Tack Video / Walking Video)
Arrieta will again be aboard Saturday and they have drawn post seven.
Also returning from the original field is You’ll Be Back, who set to start from post four.
A bay daughter of Practical Joke, You’ll Be Back tries stakes company for the second time after finishing second to Jenkin in the $175,000 Year’s End over a sloppy mile at Oaklawn on Dec. 29.
Fourth in a maiden special weight for fillies at Churchill Downs in June in her first start, You’ll Be Back returned to win a maiden special weight for fillies going six furlongs at Fair Grounds on Nov. 30.
Tom Amoss trains You’ll Be Back for Greenwell Thoroughbreds LLC for whom she has earned $74,050 in her three races.
You’ll Be Back will be ridden by Cristian Torres.
Other fillies entered include Wisconsin Gal, a newcomer from the original Dixie Belle who will be ridden by Joseph Bealmear; Gunite Max and rider Cindy Murphy, Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount on Innocence, Spankerboom will have Emmanuel Esquivel up, Ramon Vazquez takes the call on Whata Moon and Miss Martini with jockey Keith J. Asmussen.
Return to the February 20 issue of Wire to Wire
