By Alan Carasso
Returning to the site of her previous victories in the 2022 GI QE II Challenge Cup and last year's GI First Lady Stakes, Peter Brant's Gina Romantica (Into Mischief) sat an ideal trip from a close-up third in defense of her title in the latter over a fast turf course, came after pacesetting favorite Ag Bullet (Twirling Candy) just inside the eighth pole and easily held sway for the victory.
Sent off the 33-10 second choice behind Ag Bullet, the surprising 5-2 market leader off a potentially anomalous victory in the GII Ladies Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs Aug. 31, Gina Romantica left there running and was guided back to hug the rail from third as her gifted dual GI Diana Stakes-winning stablemate Whitebeam (GB) (Caravaggio) kept close attendance to the pacesetter for the opening half-mile.
Traveling very kindly on the turn for Jose Ortiz, Gina Romantica benefitted notably when Whitebeam drifted out once heads were turned for home and she was pulled out to deliver her challenge, hit the front and was home comfortably best, as GI Just a Game Stakes heroine Chili Flag (Fr) (Cityscape {GB}) and Fluffy Socks (Slumber {GB}) rallied from far back to round out a Chad Brown trifecta.
The win was the seventh straight in the First Lady for Brown and fourth in a row for Peter Brant (Blowout {GB}, 2021, In Italian {GB}, 2022). Gina Romantica is the second back-to-back winner of the First Lady, joining former Brown champion Uni (GB) (More Than Ready) and could well get an opportunity to improve on her fourth-place effort in the 2023 GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar Nov. 2.
“It was beautiful. She loves it here,” the winning rider commented. “The break was key today. She broke very alert and put me into a great position going into the first turn. I was very happy throughout the backside, and when we hit the quarter pole, there was an opening between two horses and she exploded.”
Gina Romantica entered the First Lady in search of her first win of the season despite some good efforts. A comebacking seventh in the GI Jenny Wiley Stakes here Apr. 13, the bay was a fair fifth in the Just A Game and rounded out the triple at odds of 15-1 in the Diana, missing by three-parts of a length. She most recently was the victim of the pace–or lack thereof–in the GII Ballston Spa Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 22, but nevertheless attacked the line to be a neck second to Jenny Wiley upsetter Beaute Cachee (Fr) (Literato {Fr}), who enjoyed a soft time of things on the lead.
Pedigree Notes:
Machmer Hall paid $6,000 for the unplaced Special Me, a half-sister to G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen hero Our Special Recruit (Alphabet Soup) as a 3-year-old at the 2009 Keeneland January Sale and she has become one of the more consequential broodmares in recent times.
Special Me has produced seven winners from eight to race, four of which are graded winners, including–in chronological order–MGSW & GISP Stonetastic (Mizzen Mast); GISW and Lane's End sire Gift Box (Twirling Candy); and Special Forces (Candy Ride {Arg}), a dual graded winner over the Woodbine synthetic in addition to Gina Romantica.
One of 21 top-level winners for Into Mischief, Gina Romantica is bred on the cross over Unbridled-line dams that has been responsible for GI Kentucky Derby-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Mandaloun, dual champion and multiple Grade I winner Covfeve; and G1 Dubai World Cup hero Laurel River.
Special Me is the dam of Gina Romantica's 2-year-old full-brother Jousting, a $1.2-million KEESEP yearling purchase by M.V. Magnier; a yearling filly by Twirling Candy that was bought back for $525,000 at this year's September Sale; and a weanling filly by Flightline. She was most recently bred back to Into Mischief.
Gina Romantica makes it back-to-back wins in the G1 First Lady! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/8Frqt4R5cm
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) October 5, 2024
Saturday, Keeneland
FIRST LADY S. PRESENTED BY UK HEALTHCARE-GI, $728,750, Keeneland, 10-5, 3yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 1:33.80, fm.
1–GINA ROMANTICA, 125, m, 5, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Special Me, by Unbridled's Song
2nd Dam: Delta Danielle, by Lord Avie
3rd Dam: Domasco Danielle, by Same Direction
($1,025,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Peter M. Brant; B-Machmer
Hall, Carrie Brogden & Craig Brogden (KY); T-Chad C. Brown;
J-Jose L. Ortiz. $430,125. Lifetime Record: 16-6-3-1,
$1,786,228. *1/2 to Special Forces (Candy Ride {Arg}),
MGSW-Can, SP-USA, $452,383, Gift Box (Twirling Candy),
GISW, $1,127,060 and Stonetastic (Mizzen Mast), MGSW &
GISP, $856,062. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Chili Flag (Fr), 125, m, 5, by Cityscape (GB)
1st Dam: Flag Day (GB), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Blue Duster, by Danzig
3rd Dam: Blue Note (Fr), by Habitat
(€5,000 RNA Wlg '19 ARQDE; €140,000 3yo '22 ARARC).
O-Madaket Stables LLC, Michael Dubb and Michael E. Kisber;
B-Finanza Locale Consulting Srl (FR); T-Chad C. Brown.
$120,250.
3–Fluffy Socks, 125, m, 6, by Slumber (GB)
1st Dam: Breakfast Time, by Kitten's Joy
2nd Dam: Costume Designer, by Capote
3rd Dam: Ravnina, by Nureyev
O/B-Head of Plains Partners (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $69,375.
Margins: 2, 2, NK. Odds: 3.42, 4.90, 17.67.
Also Ran: Ag Bullet, Evvie Jets, Tarawa (Ire), Special Wan (Ire), Walkathon, Whitebeam (GB), Implicated, Safeen.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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