Lael Stables' Navy Goat will face eight rivals including fellow stakes winners Showgirl Lynne B and Grade 1-placed Cairo Consort as she chases a third straight victory in Saturday's $100,000 Ginger Brew at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.
The 12th running of the Ginger Brew for fillies is one of two one-mile turf stakes for newly turned 3-year-olds on a xx-race program, along with the 15th renewal of the $100,000 Dania Beach. First race post time is 12:10 p.m.
Repole Stable and Town and Country Racing's Cairo Consort will be racing first time for her new connections since being purchased for $875,000 out of Fasig-Tipton's fall mixed sale in November. She had two wins, a second and two thirds in six starts at 2, all but her debut coming on Woodbine's turf course.
“She's very straightforward, very professional, and she's trained well,” Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said. “She's done everything right since she's come in. We've been very pleased with what we've seen.”
Cairo Consort won the 6 ½-furlong Catch a Glimpse in her stakes debut last August, one start after breaking her maiden, then ran second as the favorite in the Natalma (G1) and third at 19-1, beaten 4 ¾ lengths, in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) Nov. 4 at Keeneland. Both races came at the Ginger Brew distance.
“She's a good-looking filly, well-built, got a good disposition and a good mind. Obviously, her race record has been very good,” Pletcher said. “Winner of the Catch a Glimpse, second in a Grade 1 and third in the Breeders' Cup. Those are pretty solid credentials.”
Irad Ortiz Jr. gets the call on Cairo Consort, a daughter of Cairo Prince, from Post 3.
“It looks like she's pretty versatile in her running style,” Pletcher said. “Depending on what the pace scenario is, Irad will be able to kind of place her where she feels most comfortable.”
Navy Goat, a bay daughter of undefeated Grade 1 winner Army Mule, fetched $450,000 as a 2-year-old in training last April and debuted running third as the favorite in a five-furlong turf sprint in August at Monmouth Park.
From there, Navy Goat graduated by a neck after getting bumped at the start of a one-mile maiden special weight on the grass at Kentucky Downs before heading south, where she captured the Nov. 19 Juvenile Fillies going a mile and 70 yards on Gulfstream's Tapeta course.
“I like her. I was really happy with the way she won at Kentucky Downs,” trainer Arnaud Delacour said. “We wanted to wait and get the right spot for her. She got it done last time in state-bred company, but she did it right. That was a little bit of a weaker race compared to what we're going to see on Saturday, but she did it in style so we're happy with her.”
Delacour was also pleased with how Navy Goat overcame trouble at the start again last time, when she hit the gate at the break and raced near the back of the pack early before getting into contention entering the stretch and drawing off to win by 2 ½ lengths.
“At Gulfstream the last time we were up against it a little bit. She didn't break that well and then it was a very slow space in front of her so it took a while for her to settle,” he said. “So, the fact that she was still able to finish was really encouraging to me.”
Joel Rosario, up for her maiden triumph, has the call on Navy Goal from Post 7.
“Depending on what the pace is going to be, she can sit pretty close or even mid-pack if the pace is hot,” Delacour said.
Westlake Racing Stable's Showgirl Lynne B drew the rail for her sophomore debut after concluding 2022 with successive off-the-board stakes finishes. The Bob Hess trainee opened her career with three straight wins, the first two of them sprinting over Gulfstream's Tapeta course, the second in last August's Sharp Susan.
Four horses return in the Ginger Brew after running in the 7 ½-furlong Wait a While on the Gulfstream turf Dec. 10 – Stephanie's Charm (third), Isabel Alexandra (sixth), Lady Azteca (seventh) and Bel Pensiero (11th). Stephanie's Charm also ran second in the one-mile, 70-yard Our Dear Peggy Sept. 17 on the Tapeta.
Completing the field are Anna Karenine, a winner of two of five starts last year in Europe entered for her U.S. debut; and Erna, exiting a popular neck maiden special weight triumph Dec. 11 at Gulfstream at the course and distance.
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