My girl Sugar Swirl did it with style. Yesterday she became the Queen of Gulfstream, as she shone in the Shirley Jones Handicap (G2), winning comfortably by 5 1/2 lengths. She covered the 7 furlongs in 1:22.57, only 1.5 seconds away from the track record. She seems to be getting better and better with every race she runs. She was under restraint, tucked in behind the leaders around the turn. She was angled out and rallied to take over entering the stretch, drawing off when asked. She is a very, very good mare.
She has now won 4 stakes raced in a row. She is on route to be the first Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint in the autumn if you ask me. For some reason I do well with sprinters, with Lost In The Fog and Thor's Echo before her.
She might be pointed at the Humana Distaff (G1) at Churchill Downs on 3 May, but a decision has not been made yet.
She is owned by Stronach Stables and trained by Brian Lynch. She was bred by Adena Springs in Canada.
(Sugar Swirl (CAN) - 2003 chestnut mare - Touch Gold x Astrapi, by Distinctive Pro)
Showing posts with label graded winner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label graded winner. Show all posts
Sunday, 30 March 2008
Friday, 21 March 2008
Sugar Swirl Ready To Reign
Sugar Swirl is currently the horse in form and she could be crowned the Sprint Queen of Gulfstream this Saturday went she will be contesting the G2 Shirley Jones Handicap there. The 7f race for older fillies and mares carries a purse of $200,000.
She already won the First Lady Handicap (G3) and Hurricane Bertie Handicap (G3) at Gulfstream this year and the Shirley Jones would provide her with an impressive hattrick. However, the other fillies and mares in the race have a weight advantage of 6 to 9 lbs to Sugar Swirl's 124 lbs and they will all be out to get her. The field includes the G1 placed Shaggy Mane and Baroness Thatcher, though neither of those come into the race with the form that Sugar Swirl has showed this winter. The biggest danger is likely to be Lady Marlboro, who also comes off a graded stakes victory at Gulfstream. She has not raced for two months, but is coming into the race fit and ready.
Javier Castellano will be on board once again, as he was in her last two wins. He has ridden her five times in the past and won four with her, so he must be feeling confident in the five-year-old Touch Gold mare.
Despite the weight disadvantage Sugar Swirl is the likely short priced favourite, as she should be. She is a fast powerful mare who is in the form of her life. She won authoritatively in both her starts this year for Brian Lynch and she obviously likes Gulfstream. She has an outstanding chance.
Come on Sugar!
(Sugar Swirl (CAN) - 2003 ch mare - Touch Gold x Astrapi, by Distinctive Pro)
She already won the First Lady Handicap (G3) and Hurricane Bertie Handicap (G3) at Gulfstream this year and the Shirley Jones would provide her with an impressive hattrick. However, the other fillies and mares in the race have a weight advantage of 6 to 9 lbs to Sugar Swirl's 124 lbs and they will all be out to get her. The field includes the G1 placed Shaggy Mane and Baroness Thatcher, though neither of those come into the race with the form that Sugar Swirl has showed this winter. The biggest danger is likely to be Lady Marlboro, who also comes off a graded stakes victory at Gulfstream. She has not raced for two months, but is coming into the race fit and ready.
Javier Castellano will be on board once again, as he was in her last two wins. He has ridden her five times in the past and won four with her, so he must be feeling confident in the five-year-old Touch Gold mare.
Despite the weight disadvantage Sugar Swirl is the likely short priced favourite, as she should be. She is a fast powerful mare who is in the form of her life. She won authoritatively in both her starts this year for Brian Lynch and she obviously likes Gulfstream. She has an outstanding chance.
Come on Sugar!
(Sugar Swirl (CAN) - 2003 ch mare - Touch Gold x Astrapi, by Distinctive Pro)
Monday, 18 February 2008
Sugar Swirl Romps
Sugar Swirl did me proud yesterday. Despite the fact her main rival Lady Marlboro scratched she definitely made people turn heads. She made decisive move around the turn to draw off to a eight-and-three-quarters length win over Change Up, with Silver Knockers back in third. She recorded a time of 1.22.77 under a hand ride.
Her jockey Javier Castellano said: "She was primed and ready. There's no question about her being able to go longer based on the way she ran today. I had a ton of horse going for home."
Her next target is likely the Shirley Jones H (G2) on 22 March.
Mr Golden Ruler unfortunately finished last in the Borderland Derby
(Sugar Swirl - 2003 chestnut mare - Touch Gold x Astrapi, by Distinctive Pro)
Her jockey Javier Castellano said: "She was primed and ready. There's no question about her being able to go longer based on the way she ran today. I had a ton of horse going for home."
Her next target is likely the Shirley Jones H (G2) on 22 March.
Mr Golden Ruler unfortunately finished last in the Borderland Derby
(Sugar Swirl - 2003 chestnut mare - Touch Gold x Astrapi, by Distinctive Pro)
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