6th-GP, $40,000, Msw, 1-23, 3yo, 1 1/8mT, 1:50.53, gd.
GIMLET (c, 3, Lemon Drop Kid–Aurelia, by Danzig), a full-brother to MGSW Aurelia's Belle, $346,387, got the better of a final-furlong scrimmage with narrow favorite and stablemate Kismet's Heels (Tapit–West Coast Swing) and proved just best in what looms a potentially key nine-furlong maiden. Steadied off heels entering the first turn, Gimlet settled by his lonesome in fourth and was sent along in the four path rounding the second bend. Kismet's Heels was forced into a five-deep run outside of Gimlet and that extra ground loss may have made the ultimate difference, as Gimlet managed to stay on late to take it by 3/4 of a length as the 2-1 second choice. The turf-bred Cite (Blame-Cross, by Mighty) traveled strongly at the quarter pole in need of a spot to go and came with a rails rally, but was outfinished by the top two in a promising grass debut. Gimlet was the lukewarm favorite, with Kismet's Heels a near 6-1 gamble in a 7 1/2-furlong maiden Dec. 12 and both got well back in the run after slow starts. They raced as a team very deep on the second turn, and Kismet's Heels closed slightly better to finish second to Urban Bourbon (City Zip), with Gimlet another 1 1/4 lengths behind in fourth. The winner's third dam is Courtly Dee, whose champion daughter Althea is the granddam of Arch, who was sadly lost to a heart attack earlier this week. This is also the distinguished female family of Grade/Group 1 winners Aldiza (Storm Cat) and Green Desert (Danzig). Aurelia's Belle represented the family at last year's Keeneland November sale after being snapped up by John Sikura for $1.8 million. Gimlet is due to Lemon Drop Kid this year. Sales history: $115,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP; $160,000 2yo '15 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $25,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners; B-Alexander – Groves – Matz (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. [bullet ad=”young-gary-2yo-in-training-sales-recommendation”][bullet ad=”bridlewood-farm-training-graduate”][bullet ad=”gainesway-consigned-by”]
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