Klaravich Stables' Gerrymander proved much the best over Sunset Louise in Sunday's off-the-turf edition of the $150,000 Noble Damsel, which was originally slated for one-mile on the inner turf but was contested at the same distance over the main track and downgraded from a Grade 3 to a listed event at Belmont at the Big A.
The daughter of Into Mischief provided trainer Chad Brown and Klaravich Stables with their second collaborative stakes win on the card, adding to a dominant score with Randomized in the Grade 2, $250,000 Beldame. Gerrymander now owns three stakes scores after taking the Big A's Tempted as a juvenile and the Grade 2 Mother Goose last year at Belmont Park.
Ridden to victory by Jose Ortiz, Gerrymander faced just one rival in the Bruce Levine-trained five-time-winning New York-bred Sunset Louise, who established early command on the outside under Kendrick Carmouche and marked an opening quarter-mile in :22.59 over the fast main track.
Gerrymander kept close along the inside but was soon asked by Ortiz to take charge and cleared Sunset Louise by a half-length through the half-mile in 44.93. Gerrymander widened her stride through the turn and into the stretch while clocking three-quarters in 1:10.16 and seven furlongs in 1:22.93 as Ortiz remained motionless except for a quick peek back at a distant Sunset Louise. Gerrymander completed the course wrapped up in a final time of 1:36.46 and 25 lengths ahead of Sunset Louise.
Salimah, Panama Red, Fluffy Socks, Malavath, Sparkle Blue, Balpool,and Movie Moxy were scratched.
Ortiz said Gerrymander completed the task with ease.
“My horse was much the better than the other one,” said Ortiz. “We both broke clean and stayed pretty much together the whole race until the three-eighths pole when my filly was much the best and drew away from the other one.”
Ortiz added that he preserved inside position until he was well clear of Sunset Louise.
“Passing the chute, I took up a little bit to see if Kendrick was going to clear me,” said Ortiz. “But he stayed where he was. I knew he wasn't going to let me go outside of him. If I go outside of him, he'll go out more. I just waited and tried to time it perfectly when we approached the turn. When I let her go, she was much the best. I didn't do anything special.”
Bred in Kentucky by Town and Country Horse Farms and Pollock Farms, Gerrymander, a $375,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, was produced by the Hard Spun mare Ruby Lips. She banked $82,500 in victory and improved her lifetime record to 14-4-4-2.
Gerrymander returned $2.60 for a $2 win ticket.
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