The second-longest shot on the board in a compact field of six, Jeff Treadway homebred Sail By (Astern {Aus}) sat closest to a soft pace and took full advantage of her trip to cause the upset in Saturday's GII Miss Grillo S. at Belmont Park.
Away alertly from the inside gate, Sail By conceded the lead to rank outsider Charlee O (Tourist), who enjoyed a soft time of it up front through an opening half-mile in :49.40. Stablemates and market leaders McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Kinchen (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) were content to linger behind midfield, saving their best for last. The pacesetter still had things very much her own way after six furlongs in 1:14.36, but Junior Alvarado had Sail By set to strike and they pounced on the leader a furlong down before sprinting home best. Kinchen and McKulick were simply left too much to do given the shape of the race, but kicked home their final two furlongs in :22.11 and :21.88, respectively per Trakus, in efforts that can easily be upgraded.
“It wasn't a plan [to be forward today], but I'm glad he [Junior Alvarado] did things just as he did,” said winning trainer Leah Gyarmati. “He let her break and she broke really well and the other horse went which was perfect because it got her to settle.”
Sail By was the most 'experienced' of the Miss Grillo entrants, having broken her maiden at first asking–just as her dam had done–at 28-1 going six furlongs over this course June 18. A sound second in the Aug. 1 Colleen S. going a sharper five-furlong trip, Sail By was a latest pacesetting third to Miss Interpret (Street Sense) in the off-turf P.G. Johnson S. at Saratoga Sept. 2.
As for a trip to Del Mar, the conditioner added: “Any time you're even thinking about having that kind of opportunity is wonderful. I'll have to talk to Jeff [Treadway, owner-breeder], but I'm sure he is game and wants to go. That's a conversation we'll have to have.”
Pedigree Notes:
Sail By is the first North American graded winner and third black-type winner overall for her sire (by Medaglia d'Oro) and is set to become the sixth Breeders' Cup starter for Treadway, who sent out Johnson winner and Miss Grillo third Coasted (Tizway) to finish a bang-up second to New Money Honey (Medaglia d'Oro) in the 2016 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf. Sail By is the first foal from her dam, who is also responsible for a yearling full-brother to Sail By and a colt foal by Oscar Performance.
Saturday, Belmont Park
MISS GRILLO S.-GII, $200,000, Belmont, 10-2, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:43.21, fm.
1–SAIL BY, 120, f, 2, by Astern (Aus)
1st Dam: Fly By, by Johar
2nd Dam: Flying Arch, by Arch
3rd Dam: Proud Tradition, by Seeking the Gold
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Treadway
Racing Stable; B-Jeff Treadway (KY); T-Leah Gyarmati; J-Junior
Alvarado. $110,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-1, $193,900.
Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Kinchen (Ire), 118, f, 2, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Miss Nouriya (GB),
by Galileo (Ire). O-e Five Racing Thoroughbreds; B-Fifth
Avenue Bloodstock (IRE); T-Chad C. Brown. $40,000.
3–McKulick (GB), 120, f, 2, Frankel (GB)–Astrelle (Ire), by Makfi
(GB). (180,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.;
B-Essafinaat UK Ltd (GB); T-Chad C. Brown. $24,000.
Margins: 1, HD, 1 3/4. Odds: 12.30, 3.55, 0.45.
Also Ran: Philly Eagles (Ire), Hail To, Charlee O.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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