6th-Oaklawn, $90,000, Msw, 2-25, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:11.43, sy, 2 1/2 lengths.
GROVE (f, 3, Munnings–Wishful Winking, by Rip Van Winkle {Ire}), off at odds of 9-1, took pressure inside and out for the opening half-mile of her debut run, but went through her gears in the stretch nevertheless to report home a good-looking winner. A $100,000 Fasig-Tipton July yearling turned $175,000 OBS April breezer, Grove did her pre-race work down at the Fair Grounds and stepped away smartly while joined to her inside by the rail-skimming Mary's Boon (Central Banker) and in the three path by favored Malibu Toast (Malibu Moon). Narrowly in front from between those rivals as they hit the head of the stretch, Grove put some daylight between her and the rest of the field and ran out a comfortable winner. From the extended female family of GSW and GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Firing Line (Line of David) and Grade I winners Sharp Azteca (Freud) and Bowies Hero (Artie Schiller), Grove has a 2-year-old half-sister by Competitive Edge and a yearling half-brother by Omaha Beach. Wishful Thinking was most recently covered by Tiz the Law. The winning conditioner's father Mark Casse trained two-time Eclipse Award winner Tepin (Bernstein) for this owner. Sales history: $100,000 Ylg '21 FTKJUL; $175,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $54,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Robert E Masterson; B-Slugo Racing LLC (KY); T-Norm W Casse.
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