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Oaks Contender Gambling Girl Represents Four Generations of Gallagher’s Stud

Under the guidance of Hall of Fame trainer Laz Barrera, Buryyourbelief (Believe It) became the first New York-bred filly to win the GI Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs in 1987 as the 8-1 upset, coasting home a 2 3/4-length winner in the nation's most prestigious race for 3-year-old fillies.

This Friday, 37 years later, the Todd Pletcher-trained Gambling Girl (Dialed In) will fly the flag for the Empire State as the lone New York-bred in a field of 14. Owned by Queens native Mike Repole, Gambling Girl represents the fourth generation in a long line of mares bred by Marlene Brody's Gallagher's Stud in Ghent, NY.

Gambling Girl is her breeder's first Kentucky Oaks contender, stemming from a family line that began at Gallagher's Stud with the purchase of the filly's fourth dam, Grand Bonheur (Blushing Groom {Fr}), as a yearling in 1980. From the 11 foals she produced came Felicita (Rubiano), dam of Grade I winner and Grade I producer Take Charge Lady, who Gallagher's Stud sold in utero and went on to produce the likes of champion Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song), Grade I winners Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy) and As Time Goes By (American Pharoah), and Charming (War Front), the dam of multiple Grade I winner Omaha Beach.

Before Take Charge Lady, there was Eventail (Lear Fan), Felicita's first foal who produced Tulipmania, Gambling Girl's dam, along with Grade II winner Straight Story (Giant's Causeway), before going through the ring at the 2006 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, in foal to El Prado (Ire), and selling for $925,000 to Shadai Farm.

“Tulipmania was actually a very useful racehorse. She was very close to a stakes-caliber filly. She ended up injuring a knee, but she beat stakes winners running in allowance races and stuff like that so she was a pretty nice race filly,” said Mallory Mort, who has worked with all facets of the farm's equine and cattle operations for 44 years and took over as manager of the entire farm in 2005. “It's very gratifying when that many generations of breeding comes to fruition.”

Tulipmania has produced 11 foals, with four winners from eight starters, topped by stakes winner and GII-placed Gambling Girl. The third foal from her dam to sell for six figures as a yearling at Fasig-Tipton's New York Bred Yearlings Sale, she was purchased for $200,000 by West Bloodstock, Agent for Repole Stable, from the Denali Stud consignment in 2021.

“From the beginning, she was just a piece of cake. Nothing ever went wrong with her and she was always easy to work with. We were expecting pretty good money for her [at the sale]. She was a good individual and obviously had a nice page,” said Mort. “I think if one of the mare's earlier progeny had jumped up and run really well, she would have brought considerably more money, but that's the way it goes. She ended up bringing in the range we were thinking and we were really fortunate that they bought her. She's in really great hands and a New York guy racing a nice New York-bred is really special.”

The bay filly, who has raced primarily in her home state, debuted as a 2-year-old last summer at Belmont Park and broke her maiden at Saratoga in her third career start, winning a seven-furlong state-bred maiden special weight by 10 1/2 lengths. In her next start, she won her stakes debut in the Joseph A. Gimma at the Belmont at the Big A meet and later closed out the season with a third in the Dec 3. GII Demoiselle Stakes, just a length behind winner Julia Shining (Curlin).

Returning this January, Gambling Girl was second in the Busanda Stakes, fourth in the GIII Honeybee Stakes in February at Oaklawn, and a hard-fought second in the Apr. 8 GIII Gazelle Stakes, just a head behind fellow Oaks contender Promiseher America (American Pharoah).

Though a small breeding operation with a broodmare band that hovers around 10 to 15 mares, Brody and her team have always prided themselves on producing horses of quality and class, and Gambling Girl is just the latest success story to validate those efforts.

“We had a horse many years ago named Allez Milord [Tom Rolfe], who won a Group 1 in Germany and a Grade I in this country. He was also a champion in Germany and ran second in the [1987] G1 Japan Cup. He was quite an international horse. Icabad Crane [Jump Start] ran third in the GI Preakness several years ago, so we've had some pretty good Classic-type horses over the years and a lot of graded stakes winners. We also had a filly a few years ago named Inimitable Romance [Maria's Mon], who won three graded stakes for us. Maximova [Danehill Dancer {Ire}} is another one of our mares who was a stakes winner and multiple graded stakes placed,” said Mort. “We don't have that many mares so we don't get a ton of them, but it's great when they come along.”

Tulipmania had a full-brother to Gambling Girl last year, who will be heading to the sale ring this summer, and just last week, she foaled a Medaglia d'Oro filly on Apr. 25.

“We've always thought that Dialed In is an underrated stallion. For his stud fee, a good one will sell really well, and that's mainly what we do, so we decided to go back to him. The yearling is a very nice colt as well,” said Mort. “Dialed In was a really good racehorse and I think he is physically a lot different than some of the Mineshafts. [His progeny] are earlier and faster and we liked that. He's proven to be a pretty darn good sire.”

Gambling Girl's start in Friday's Run for the Lilies also stands as a testament to Brody's dedication to her farm, which her and her late husband Jerry purchased in April of 1976, her horses, and the team that keeps everything going day-in and day-out.

“It's been great to work for someone that just wants to put the horses and the people first. We try to make some money to keep things going obviously, but really the emphasis is on the horses' health and the people that are working for us. Anybody that stays in this business for as long as she's been in it, they just have to love it. They can roll with the punches and those are great people to work for. They know how to enjoy the good times and not take the low too badly, to just keep on going. She's been a wonderful person to work for, for this many years, otherwise I wouldn't have been here for this long,” said Mort.

The farm will only be foaling out four mares this year, and breeding seven back, along with cutting back their racing operation slightly. But even at 91, Brody remains devoted, as she and the rest of the Gallagher's Stud team look forward to what's still to come.

“These are the horses we've tried to breed for a long time and so it's very gratifying when one can reach this kind of Classic contention and run in these kinds of races. It's great. And Gambling Girl being a New York-bred on top of that, obviously we've been breeding in New York for over 40 years or something, it's really nice when this happens. It makes it all worthwhile, even if it doesn't come around very often,” said Mort.

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Andy Beyer Joins TDN Writers’ Room to Handicap the Kentucky Derby

Andy Beyer, the longtime racing columnist for the Washington Post and the creator of the Beyer Speed Figures that appear in the Daily Racing Form, is never short of opinions, especially when it comes to who will win the GI Kentucky Derby. With the race right around the corner, we asked Beyer to give us his thoughts on the race and share his handicapping acumen on the TDN Writers' Room podcast, which is presented by Keeneland. Beyer was this week's Green Group Guest of the Week.

After some spirited and amusing debate about how to pronounce Forte's name, Beyer said he's no fan of that horse, saying that Forte (Violence) “won't hit the board.”

“I don't like him,” he said. “I don't like him because the name issue grates on me every time I hear it. He is not historically what we look for in the Kentucky Derby, which is a horse on the upgrade coming into the Derby. He clearly doesn't fit that profile. Yes, he is trained by Todd Pletcher. But as we know, Todd's forte is not training horses to win the Derby. His record in this race is two for 62. So I don't think you get any extra credit for being in the Pletcher barn in this race. I want no part of Forte. I don't think he'll hit the board.”

Then who does he like? It's Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits).

“I am looking for a history making Japanese victory on Saturday night with Derma Sotogake,” Beyer said. “It's not a great Derby. But what makes it really interesting to me is the Japanese presence. And I've been looking a lot at this and I think that Japan is really on the brink of becoming the number one power in world horse racing, eclipsing even Great Britain and the United States. It's going to happen at the present rate eventually. And the coming out party just might be Saturday.”

Beyer said he is so bullish on the Japanese horses that he even gave a long look to longshot Continuar (Jpn) (Drefong).

“I was going to pick Continuar as my 50 to 1 bomber just because he is trained by the top Japanese trainer and was really going to be under the radar,” Beyer said. “But he evidently has not trained that well since he's been at Churchill.”

Based on the Beyer figures, the field for the GI Kentucky Oaks is among the slowest ever. Predictably, Beyer didn't have anything good to say about that race.

“I was so depressed looking at the figures in the Oaks that I just haven't even focused on it yet,” he said. “The idea that nobody in that field has run a figure over 91 is just embarrassing. I've never seen a race this famous look so bad from the speed figure standpoint.”

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by Coolmore,https://lanesend.com/ the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders, 1/st Racing, WinStar Farm, XBTV and https://www.threechimneys.com/ West Point Thoroughbreds, podcast regulars Zoe Cadman, Randy Moss and Bill Finley ran through the entire 20-horse field, giving their opinions on each starter. Finley picked Tapit Trice (Tapit) to win, Moss selected Derma Sotogoake and Cadman gave the nod to Practical Move (Practical Joke). As was the case with Beyer, none were particularly high on Forte.

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Southlawn in Good Company with Stable Pony John Jones

A lithe, dappled bay daughter of Pioneerof the Nile, whose striking features and poetic stride make her easy to pick out on the main track at Churchill Downs, GI Kentucky Oaks contender Southlawn has certainly caught the attention of many leading up to her Run for the Lilies this Friday.

But what many may not know is that trainer Norm Casse's stable pony, who escorts the filly to and from the track each morning, is also a star in his own right, as he is none other than multiple stakes winner John Jones (Smarty Jones).

Bred in Maryland by Nancy Lee Farms, John Jones debuted as a 3-year-old at Pimlico for his breeder and trainer Ferris Allen. He continued on for those connections throughout his first 14 starts, picking up three wins along the way, until he was claimed for $25,000 by trainer Lacey Gaudet and owner Matt Schera at Laurel Park in July of 2016.

And it was there he'd stay for the rest of his racing career, quickly evolving from the stable's newest addition to a staple of the Gaudet barn, known well enough in Maryland as he was across the rest of the Mid-Atlantic circuit.

“His first race in the barn, when he won the [2016] Mister Diz S. [going three-quarters on the turf] and beat Ben's Cat, I remember Stan Stalter interviewing me and saying, 'What do you think you're going to do next?' And I said, 'A mile on the dirt,'” said Gaudet. “He never really ran back to that race on the turf, but he was an amazing dirt horse for us, we had so much fun with him.”

Though the dark bay gelding wasn't the easiest of horses to deal with in the barn, he made up for it with his dedication and consistency on the track, in the mornings and during the afternoon, and most notably with his unique personality.

Gaudet recalls a morning that a tour group, with children whose ages ranged from 10 to 18, walked through the barn. John Jones, in one of the first few stalls by the office, watched with rapt attention.

“Most of our stable is kind and they're used to peppermints and treats, but the way John Jones just brought himself to the front and made himself such a presence to these kids, they just gravitated to him. He engaged so much with these children and everybody seemed to have to touch him and he just had to put his nose on everybody. It was just kind of a 'stand back and watch moment,'” said Gaudet. “He was always a tough horse, he was kind of aggravating and always wiggling, stuff like that, but when it came time for his attitude and personality to shine, people of all backgrounds just really gravitated to this horse. He knew he was something special and could give them something special too.”

In his 33 starts across five seasons for Team Gaudet, he picked up two more stakes victories–taking the Jennings S. two years in a row–and hit the board in five others, including a trip down to Gulfstream Park where he finished third in the 2016 Claiming Crown Jewel S.

“I think it was in the week or two before Laurel Park shut down [due to COVID-19 in early 2020], he won a three-other-than and beat one of our other horses. He was set for such a big comeback, we thought he was going to have such a stellar year. When COVID-19 hit, we gave some of the horses time off and he came back and trained fine, but he never really raced quite as well. I don't know if he just thought it must have been his time to retire because he'd gotten time off, but it was kind of a confusing moment for him, as for all of us,” said Gaudet. “His owner Matt Schera was so great about it. He was like, 'Look, we're at a crossroads. It's either run him for $25,000 and watch him get claimed and probably go through the claiming ranks or we can retire him and find him a new job.'

“I jumped at the opportunity. I can't thank Matt enough for allowing us to be able to retire him and give him a happy home.”

John Jones made his final start Nov. 20, 2020 at Laurel Park, retiring with a record of 12-4-6 from 47 career starts with a total of $600,364 in earnings. Though Gaudet had hoped to find him a home where he could be a show horse or point towards the Retired Racehorse Project's Thoroughbred Makeover, those plans never panned out, so instead John Jones spent some time with Gaudet's string at Delaware Park before coming home to her family's farm in Upper Marlboro, Md.

The gelding spent nearly two years enjoying a life of leisure on the farm, sharing a field with fellow Smarty Jones gelding Concealed Identity, Gaudet's late father Eddie's first GI Preakness S. starter (2011). But earlier this year, Gaudet noticed a change in John Jones demeanor, as if he was trying to make it clear he had had enough of 'just hanging out.'

It was around that time, in mid-February, when Gaudet got the news that Blimey (Limehouse), her veteran trainee turned seasoned pony that she had sent to join Casse's team as the stable pony just a couple of years prior, had passed away in his stall at Fair Grounds. He was 16 years old.

“[Blimey] ran until he was 9 and he was just a fun racehorse to have. He was the first pony we sent to Norm and his assistant Will [Cano] loved Blimey. Norm was always very happy to have him in the barn and he did credit him with helping a lot of the fillies and the babies. I think it really gave Will, who rode him, the opportunity to watch more and be more hands-on in the development of Norm's younger horses,” said Gaudet. “I loved him. Will had that connection with him and he was absolutely crushed [when he died]. I just kept saying, 'We need to get Will another pony.'”

Gaudet pulled John Jones out of the field in March, rode him for a couple of weeks, and called her brother-in-law.

“He's very green but he's good. He's doing everything right and he just needs to be ridden, all morning long. I know Will wants a pony, so just let me send him out to you. If he doesn't work out, you can send him back,” she said.

Though everyone was excited for him to embark on this new chapter, it was still a bit emotional for the team who had spent all of those years with him at the track in Maryland, particularly Gaudet's groom, Abel Sanchez. Though Sanchez no longer works full-time in racing, he still comes to help Gaudet on the weekends, and he was there Sunday, Apr. 16, the day they loaded John Jones onto a van bound for Churchill Downs.

“I have so many videos of [Abel]'s son, who would just have to come in and see John Jones. The boy didn't know one thing about horses, didn't know one from another, but he knew John Jones and he would come in and just feed him peppermints. And John Jones would just stand there and eat a hundred if he could. He was so gentle with that little boy,” said Gaudet. “Abel walked him to the van and he started crying.”

John Jones has settled right into life as a pony in the Casse barn, serving an important role in the lead-up to the first Friday in May while also helping to ease the pain of losing Blimey as he follows in his hoofprints as Will's new partner.

“I really loved Blimey. He would follow me and he'd wait for me. He was my favorite. He'd know when I was coming and I'd give him peppermints. I'm trying to do the same with Mr. John,” said Cano. “The more time I work with him and he gets to know me more, he'll be a nice pony. The first few days he was a little fresh, but that's normal because it was his first time at Churchill Downs, but now he's doing great. I'm happy with him.

“We're excited with Southlawn and it's nice to have a pony to walk up with her and wait for her. I really appreciate Lacey Gaudet helping us out. It's nice to have a pony in the barn, especially this kind of horse.”

If the company Southlawn keeps in the Casse barn is any indication of her potential for success on Friday and the rest of her career, there is no doubt her future is bright.

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One Year Later, Rich Strike Looks to Get Back to the Top

After it had finally sunk in that he had won the 2022 GI Kentucky Derby with an 80-1 shot named Rich Strike (Keen Ice) that no one gave a chance, trainer Eric Reed started looking forward to when he would have his next taste of glory. Five races and 364 days later, he's still waiting. The year following the Derby has not been particularly kind to Rich Strike. He ran second in the GII Lukas Classic, but was out of the money in his four other starts. His 3-year-old campaign ended with a dull sixth-place finish in the GI Clark S. Nov. 25.

But a new year and a new race bring new opportunities and a clean slate. Rich Strike will make his 4-year-old debut Friday in the GII Alysheba S., a day shy of a year and at the same track where he stunned the racing world with his 3/4-length win in the Derby. There's a lot of karma there, but karma isn't going to get him into the winner's circle. Reed knows this, but remains optimistic that Rich Strike will be competitive throughout the year in top-class races.

“He's smarter and he's stronger and he's more mature,” Reed said. “He knows what's going on. He's turned out to be what we expected at four, stronger and smarter. He's ready. Last year, he was running on adrenaline and raw talent. This year, he's had the chance to mature out. He's a better horse this year. I think he'll run well in all his races and if he doesn't, we will be disappointed.”

It's not that he was terrible last year after the Derby. He just wasn't good enough.

“Since the Derby, he ran well in every race except for the Belmont and I still say that was my fault,” Reed said. “In the Clark, he was sick and we had no knowledge of that beforehand. He always showed up. He was a head away from beating Hot Rod Charlie in the Lukas Classic and had he won, that would have ended a lot of the talk.”

Reed said the main problem Rich Strike will face this year is the same problem he faced last year. He has no early speed and can find himself in a hopeless position if the pace up front isn't fast. His Derby win came after there was a pace meltdown in which they flew through early fractions of :21.78, :45.36 and 1:10.34.

“He's not going to win a lot of races because of his running style,” Reed said. “Even when everything goes right, it's hard for him to win because of the way he wants to run. We want him to do good and I think he will. I don't know how many races he will win this year, but he'll have to find a way to put himself into the races a little earlier to win.”

The Alysheba is run at a mile-and-a-sixteenth and Rich Strike probably needs more distance. He'll also be facing a tough group of rivals. Art Collector (Bernardini) won the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational, Last Samurai (Malibu Moon) has won a pair of graded stakes this year and West Will Power (Bernardini) is coming off a win in the GII New Orleans Classic. This may be the deepest group of older dirt males assembled so far this year. Rich Strike is 7-2 in the morning line, but that seems like an underlay.

“It's his first start back,” Reed said. “I don't have high expectations for a win, but it would be great if he did. We just need to get in the first start and get ready for his next start, the Stephen Foster. I think that's where our season will really start to take off.”

In the meantime, Reed said he plans to enjoy the week and treasure the memories. He said he has the same crew back from last year and they are going to gather for a barbecue on Thursday. Despite Rich Strike's losing streak, Reed is still focused on how great that accomplishment was one year ago.

“I do tend to relive it, probably a couple of times a week,” he said. “It's one of those things that will never go away. You have days when you get frustrated and then you take a step back and think about the Derby and everything is good.”

Everything would be even better if Rich Strike were to win another race, preferably a big one. Reed will give him his chances this year. No excuses. Now he just needs to show that he's good enough.

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