A rocket ship late in the lane, aptly-named Bullet (War Front–Marlinspike, by Tapit) flew home to win the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies S. and earned a trip to Royal Ascot in the process.
Debuting for Mark Casse and D J Stable and off a step slow, the grey sat off the speed in seventh as 44-1 longshot You Need Me (St. Patrick's Day) rolled through :22.01 and :44.84 splits. Four wide passing the five-sixteenths, she swung even farther out coming for home and uncorked a rally which sailed her in by 2 1/4 lengths over the longtime leader.
“The crazy thing is she usually breaks like a shot. I used a few choice words when she broke,” said Casse, who watched from his Ocala home. “It's one thing to break bad. It's another thing when you break bad and circle everyone in the field. You'll have a tough time finding a more impressive race than the one she gave us.”
Out of a half-sister to track record-setter GSW Irish Surf (Giant's Causeway), Bullet is the first winner for that mare. She has a yearling full-sister as well as a 2024 half-sister by Munnings.
Marlinspike claims a productive set of half-sisters including High Surf (Storm Cat), who produced GSW-Fr/G1SP-Eng High Celebrity (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Zulaal (Giant's Causeway), who claims South African Grade 1 winner Zillzaal (Saf) (Silvano {Ger}). This is the female line of champion juvenile filly Flanders via second dam MGISW Surfside, who herself was the champion 3-year-old filly. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
Bullet, indeed!
Another star in the making from the Mark Casse yard? This filly absolutely rockets home in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies Stakes and may now head for Royal Ascot… pic.twitter.com/9GOHmW9noH
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 11, 2024
ROYAL PALM JUVENILE FILLIES S., $106,000, Gulfstream, 5-11, 2yo, f, 5fT, :56.80, fm.
1–BULLET, 118, f, 2, by War Front
1st Dam: Marlinspike, by Tapit
2nd Dam: Surfside, by Seattle Slew
3rd Dam: Flanders, by Seeking the Gold
($425,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-D. J. Stable LLC; B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds LTD. (KY); T-Mark E. Casse; J-Emisael Jaramillo. $49,000. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $49,000.
2–You Need Me, 118, f, 2, St Patrick's Day–Mochaccino, by Uncaptured. ($7,000 RNA Ylg '23 OBSOCT; $50,000 2yo '24 OBSMAR). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Champion Equine LLC; B-McKathan Brothers (FL); T-J. David Braddy. $27,560.
3–My Emmy, 118, f, 2, War of Will–Kyllachy Queen (Ire), by Kyllachy (GB). ($75,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Gary Barber; B-Castleton Lyons & Kilboy Estate (KY); T-Mark Casse. $11,760.
Margins: 2 1/4, 3/4, NK. Odds: 3.90, 44.30, 16.00.
Also Ran: Unchained Elaine, Good Long Cry, Bois Blanc, Perfect Shances, Bunratty Manor (Ire). Scratched: China Blue, Kip the Distance, Ramsey Pond, The Queens M G.
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