Pink Sands Rallies Late to Take Inside Information
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Pink Sands wins the Inside Information Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Gainesway Stable and Andrew Rosen's Pink Sands was more than four lengths out of it Jan. 25 with a furlong left in the $200,000 Inside Information Stakes Presented by Runhappy Matchmaker Series (G2). But with a late rally down the outside, the 5-year-old Tapit mare sailed past rivals favored over her to capture her second consecutive win at Gulfstream Park.
"That was special. This filly has gotten good, and she loves this track," Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey said. "The guys who own her are friends of mine, and it's always fun to participate in these big races."
In her previous start Dec. 14, Pink Sands came from last to earn her first graded victory in the one-mile Rampart Stakes (G3). She shortened up to seven furlongs for the 12-horse Inside Information.
With Jose Ortiz back aboard, Pink Sands again settled in last, 9 1/4 lengths behind Liza Star, who opened with a :22.47 quarter-mile. Blamed, a head back in second, overtook Liza Star to run a half-mile in :45.34, but neither frontrunner could maintain her speed. It was the 8-5 favorite, Spiced Perfection, who came from eighth to lead three-quarters in 1:10.50, but the multiple grade 1 winner could not hold on to her lead, either.
Wildwood's Beauty and Nonna Madeline advanced from the latter half of the field to overtake Spiced Perfection in the final furlong, but the two were no match for the Rampart winner. Pink Sands, up into fifth with an eighth of a mile to go, soared on the grandstand side and ran off to a three-length win. She completed the seven furlongs in 1:23.42 on a fast track and paid $12.60.
"She's a come-from-behind filly, I can't change that. But I was expecting a hot pace," Ortiz said. "I saw it was :45 and change; I was expecting like :44. But she was traveling well. I didn't fall asleep on her, and I tried to be as close as I could without taking her out of her rhythm. When she got to the quarter pole, she started rolling. I was just waiting for some room, and when she got it, she was there for me."
Wildwood's Beauty was second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Nonna Madeline, who finished a neck in front of Spiced Perfection.
McGaughey said the Inside Information was the best race yet for Pink Sands.
"She looked so good warming up, then she dropped her head when Jose brought her to the gate," he said. "She was so laid-back, I thought, 'I hope she's not going to sleep.' But Jose told me he had horse all the time."
"Before, you had to ride her the whole way, and she would kind of just grind it out," Ortiz added. "She wouldn't accelerate; she was just kind of one-paced. But today, she accelerated. She flew home from the eighth pole to the wire. I think probably the cutback in distance is what she wants to do."
The Inside Information improved the mare's record to 6-3-4 from 18 starts with earnings of $468,300.
Pink Sands was a $625,000 purchase by Hugo Merry Bloodstock in 2016 at The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale in New York. She was bred in Kentucky by KatieRich Farms out of the Include mare Her Smile, the winner of the Prioress Stakes (G1). Her Smile foaled a Candy Ride colt last year and was reported bred back to Arrogate .
With the Inside Information part of the Runhappy Matchmaker Series, the connections of Pink Sands received a free breeding for the mare to Runhappy , who stands for $25,000 this year at Claiborne Farm.