The lightly raced Unchained Melody (Smart Strike), a last out optional-claiming winner over course and distance at Belmont June 1, hit the gate running and never looked back while making her stakes debut in Saturday's GII Mother Goose S.
The dark bay led the field of seven by a length through opening splits of :23.62 and :46.62. Joel Rosario let Unchained Melody drift wide to about the four path at the top of the stretch as GI Kentucky Oaks third Lockdown (First Defence), a full-sister to champion Close Hatches, began ranging up to her outside. Unchained Melody had plenty left in the tank, however, and re-broke in deep stretch to win going away by three lengths.
A front-running debut winner over eventual GII Black-Eyed Susan S. upsetter Actress (Tapit) going six furlongs at Gulfstream Mar. 19, Unchained Melody was second next out as the 2-1 favorite at Keeneland Apr. 21. She defeated GII Demoiselle S. runner-up Jamyson 'n Ginger (Bernardini) by two lengths while making her route debut around one turn at Belmont last time.
“I felt good about this after her A-other-than performance here with one-turn stuff,” winning trainer Brian Lynch said. “She's got such a high-cruising speed and there didn't look like there was going to be a lot of pace in the race, so we hoped she'd get comfortable on the lead. Not that those were slow fractions, she cracked out a half in :46 [seconds], but she's tough to get by, obviously.
Lynch continued, “The [GI] Alabama [S. Aug. 19] would be the next step, I think. We'll give her some time and set her for that. I think she's certainly stamped her card in that direction today.”
Pedigree Notes:
The winner's dam Love Match, a $15,000 RNA as a Fasig-Tipton October yearling, carried the colors of winning co-owner and breeder Hare Forest Farm to a win in the 2005 GIII Taylor Made Matchmaker S. at Monmouth Park. She is also represented by the unraced 2-year-old colt Noble Pursuit (Curlin) and a Bodemeister colt of this year. Her Curlin colt brought $270,000 from Lane's End Bloodstock at this year's OBS March Sale.
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Saturday, Belmont Park
MOTHER GOOSE S.-GII, $250,000, BEL, 7-1, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:42.45, ft.
1–#@UNCHAINED MELODY, 121, f, 3, by Smart Strike
1st Dam: Love Match (GSW, $188,966), by Partner's Hero
2nd Dam: For Love Alone, by L'Enjoleur
3rd Dam: Pakeha (Fr), by Zeddaan (GB)
($195,000 RNA Ylg '15 FTKOCT). O-Hidden Brook Farm & Hare
Forest Farm; B-Hare Forest Farm, Ltd. (KY); T-Brian A. Lynch;
J-Joel Rosario. $150,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $233,400.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
Rating: B+.
2–Lockdown, 121, f, 3, First Defence–Rising Tornado, by Storm
Cat. O/B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-William Mott. $50,000.
3–Moana, 121, f, 3, Uncle Mo–Dixietwostepper, by More Than
Ready. ($150,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP; $300,000 2yo '16 OBSAPR).
O-Bridlewood Farm & Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners;
B-Crumbaugh Lane LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $25,000.
Margins: 3, 6HF, HD. Odds: 2.20, 2.10, 7.10.
Also Ran: My Miss Tapit, Vexatious, Lights of Medina, Spanish Harlem. 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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