Gentle Ruler Continues Roll With Dowager Victory
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Photo: Keeneland/Coady Photography
Gentle Ruler wins the Dowager Stakes at Keeneland
It took Morsches Stable's Gentle Ruler 12 times to break her maiden, but since doing so in late March, the Colonel John filly has rolled to four stakes victories, including the $125,000 Rood & Riddle Dowager Stakes (G3T) Oct. 20 at Keeneland.
Trainer Ian Wilkes said the turnaround came with time to grow up.
"Maturity. Simple thing as maturity. The filly as a 4-year-old has grown up," Wilkes said. "Before, she was always quirky, wouldn't go to the track without a pony. This year, she'll go to the track without the pony, and she's just grown up."
Gentle Ruler won her first race of the season in an off-the-turf maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park. She followed with wins in a Keeneland allowance, the Keertana Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs, and the Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes (G3T) at Delaware Park. After finishing fourth in the Fasig-Tipton Waya Stakes (G3T) at Saratoga Race Course, she returned to win the Ramsey Farm Stakes at Kentucky Downs before the Dowager.
Jockey Chris Landeros has been aboard Gentle Ruler throughout her winning season.
"She's really special to me. This is what we look forward to," Landeros said. "Horses like her get your juices flowing early in the day. She's special."
Gentle Ruler broke from post 3 in the 12-horse field and was off as the 2-1 favorite in the 1 1/2-mile turf feature for fillies and mares. Landeros settled his mount in eighth and was back in ninth a third of the way through. Beach Flower set soft fractions of :26.10 and :52.42 before fading, leaving Sea Dream to take over from second and set fractions of 1:18.16, 1:43.85, and 2:08.57.
With a quarter-mile to run, Landeros and Gentle Ruler were up to sixth and sailed past their rivals to score a 2 1/2-length victory. The final time was 2:31.95 on firm turf.
"I knew we were going a little slow (early in the race). When I crossed the finish the first time (past the tote board), I took a peek over my left (shoulder) and I saw the :26 and change, and I thought I better start creeping up a little earlier today," Landeros said. "She's so game. Ian has her primed and ready every time. Thankful to the owners for the opportunity. When you ride a horse like her, it makes my job a lot easier."
Elysea's World rallied from 10th to finish second, 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Decorating, who was third after racing off the pace.
Gentle Ruler exited the Dowager with earnings of $718,453 from a 6-3-5 record in 18 starts. She was bred in Kentucky by the Morsches' Builder's Mart and was an $18,000 RNA at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale when consigned by Claiborne Farm. The dark bay/brown filly is out of the Cozzene mare Winikins, who foaled a Lea colt in late March and was bred back to Speightster.
"She's done for the year now. We'll bring her back next year, and we'll give her a shot at some better company," Wilkes said of Gentle Ruler. "I just didn't think she was quite ready this year. She's doing really great, but next year we'll give her a shot and see how good she can get. We'll let her dictate everything."