Keeper Ofthe Stars, a shocking 36-1 winner of the GII Buena Vista S. last out, proved that effort was no fluke and overcame a wide draw to score convincingly in Monday's GI Gamely S. at Santa Anita.
Fourth in both the GII San Clemente S. and GI Del Mar Oaks last summer, the gray annexed the local GIII Autumn Miss S. two starts later and sandwiched a runner-up try in the local Lady Shamrock S. between sixth-place runs in the GIII Red Carpet H. and GIII Megahertz S. Off as the second-longest price in the Buena Vista, she ran down 3-5 Jolie Olimpica (Brz) (Drosselmeyer)–who captured Monday's GII Monrovia S. earlier in the card–to pull the shocker.
More respected this time around as the public's fourth preference, Keeper Ofthe Stars broke a bit flat-footed, but recovered and advanced into third through a :23.22 quarter. Traveling comfortably in the clear under Abel Cedillo past a :47.20 half, she was pushed on to go at the three-eighths pole and took charge just outside the furlong marker. Mucho Unusual and Bodhicitta produced mild late rallies, but Keeper Ofthe Stars had fled the scene and reported home a comfortable winner. Bodhicitta was on the right side of a photo for second. Chad Brown's two favorites, French invader Etoile (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Beautiful Lover (Arch), were eighth and a non-threatening fourth, respectively.
Pedigree Notes:
Already one of 33 stakes winners and 13 graded stakes winners for back-to-back GI Breeders' Cup Sprint victor Midnight Lute, Keeper Ofthe Stars becomes his fourth Grade I winner, following champion Midnight Bisou, Midnight Lucky and Shakin It Up. She is the second foal to start out of Sociable, an unraced half-sister to MGISW and sire The Factor (War Front). Bought by Hunter Valley Farm for $155,000 earlier this year at Keeneland January, she has a juvenile Verrazano colt and a yearling colt by Classic Empire.
Monday, Santa Anita
GAMELY S.-GI, $302,500, Santa Anita, 5-25, 3yo/up, f/m,
1 1/8mT, 1:46.43, fm.
1–KEEPER OFTHE STARS, 124, f, 4, by Midnight Lute&log=">Midnight Lute
1st Dam: Sociable, by Run Away and Hide
2nd Dam: Greyciousness, by Miswaki
3rd Dam: Skatingonthinice, by Icecapade
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($60,000 Wlg '16 KEENOV; $180,000 Ylg '17
KEESEP). O-Tommy Town Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Olin Gentry,
Omar Trevino & Anthony Cappola (KY); T-Jonathan Wong;
J-Abel Cedillo. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 15-7-1-3, $501,931.
Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A.
2–Bodhicitta (GB), 122, f, 4, by Showcasing (GB)–Solfilia (GB),
by Teofilo (Ire). (£55,000 Ylg '17 GOUKPR; £100,000 2yo '18
GOFBRE; 60,000gns 3yo '19 TATHIT). O-Calvin Nguyen;
B-Fonthill Farms & Mr & Mrs A. Scott (GB); T-Richard Baltas.
$60,000.
3–Mucho Unusual, 124, f, 4, by Mucho Macho Man–Not
Unusual, by Unusual Heat. ($170,000 RNA Ylg '17 KEESEP).
O/B-George Krikorian (CA); T-Tim Yakteen. $36,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NO, 1. Odds: 7.30, 14.60, 8.40.
Also Ran: Beautiful Lover, Lady Prancealot (Ire), Giza Goddess, Tiny Tina, Etoile (Fr), Simply Breathless (GB), Siberian Iris (Ire). Scratched: Ollie's Candy. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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