By Alan Carasso
A touch chilly on the board at 9-2 from 5-2 favoritism, Al and Bill Ulwelling's Pennick (f, 2, Hard Spun–By Golly Mis Molly, by Vindication) was pinched back at the break, but saw off her rivals by the time they'd reached the turn and shot clear through the final eighth of a mile to become a new 'TDN Rising Star' at Woodbine Saturday afternoon.
The May-foaled bay, a $200,000 purchase out of last year's Keeneland September Sale, was bounced around just after the start, but was ridden along thereafter by Ramon Hernandez and, without having to be asked unduly, found herself on the lead as the field entered the bend. Shaken up ever so slightly as they hit the stretch, the Ontario-bred quickly put daylight on her competition with an electric turn of foot and was only shown the whip in the final stages, scoring by a strong-through-the-line 5 1/2 lengths in the slick time of :51.22 before striding out powerfully into the turn.
Anderson Farms acquired Pennick's dam for $60,000 in foal to Curlin at the 2014 Keeneland November Sale, and the filly she was carrying at the time became Katie Baby, who just missed on her career debut for her breeder at this venue before later placing in the GIII Hendrie S., the GIII Ontario Matron S. and the GIII Seaway S. Katie Baby's first foal, a Medaglia d'Oro filly, was purchased by Donato Lanni for $170,000 at Keeneland September last fall.
By Golly Mis Molly is a half-sister to 2012 Bison City S. heroine Blue Heart (Exchange Rate)–another KEENOV in utero purchase by Anderson Farms–who went on to produce Grade III placegetter Joyful Kitten (Kitten's Joy); and SW Financial Recovery (Street Cry {Ire}). The filly's third dam was a half-sister to Big Dreams (Great Above), who was responsible for two-time champion Housebuster (Mt. Livermore) as well as GSW & MGISP Quero Quero (Royal Academy).
By Golly Mis Molly is listed as having aborted her 2023 foal by Maxfield. Pennick is the 12th 'Rising Star' for Hard Spun, a number that also includes Anderson Farm graduate Hard Not to Love, who is also out of a mare by Vindication.
5th-Woodbine, C$87,070, Msw, 5-20, 2yo, f, 4 1/2f (AWT), :51.22, ft, 5 1/2 lengths.
PENNICK, f, 2, by Hard Spun
1st Dam: By Golly Mis Molly, by Vindication
2nd Dam: Flawless Diamond, by Saint Ballado
3rd Dam: Diamonds n Frills, by Runaway Groom
Sales history: $200,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $39,024. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Al & Bill Ulwelling; B-Anderson Farms Ont Inc (ON); T-Kevin Attard.
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