Sally's Curlin Rallies Late to Win Hurricane Bertie
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Ryan Thompson
Sally's Curlin wins the Hurricane Bertie Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Sally's Curlin rallied from last on the turn into the homestretch to roll to an eye-catching 2 3/4-length victory in the $150,000 Hurricane Bertie Stakes (G3) March 14 at Gulfstream Park.
The Dale Romans-trained 4-year-old daughter of Curlin , making her first start of 2020, was ridden by Edgar Prado, who closed to within two wins of fellow Hall of Famer Angel Cordero for eighth all time with his 7,055th victory.
Owned by CJ Thoroughbreds, Left Turn Racing, and Casner Racing, Sally's Curlin broke away from the gate a bit slowly and dropped several lengths behind the field along the backstretch as Blamed showed the way, stalked closely by Pauseforthecause and Lady Kate. Blamed set fractions of :22.13 and :44.61 for the first half-mile in the seven-furlong stakes for fillies and mares. Blamed began to shorten stride on the turn into the homestretch as Pauseforthecause took the lead, with Wildwood's Beauty in pursuit.
Sally's Curlin, who launched a wide drive on the turn, found her stride and produced an impressive stretch drive that overwhelmed her eight rivals on the way to a comfortable victory.
"She broke a step slow, so I didn't rush her, I just took my time. I've been watching all her races, and it seemed like she has a very nice kick. I just let her settle and tried to pick them up, and when I asked her, she rolled home," Prado said. "I didn't want to be that far back, but because she broke a little slow, I didn't want to rush her to catch the group and then have her slow down. I was trying to make the right move. Around the turn, I felt good when I started to see her getting closer and closer, and I wasn't really asking her. I was encouraging her, but I wasn't really asking for her best. I was like, 'She's got a good chance.' I was looking for a place to go, but the rail was taken, so I went outside and she kept on going."
Sally's Curlin finished in 1:22.84 on a fast track. Wildwood's Beauty edged Pauseforthecause by a length for second place.
Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings out of the More Than Ready mare Cabo Queen, Sally's Curlin was a $160,000 purchase by Romans from Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency's consignment to the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She won three races in a row last year, including the Chilukki Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs in November. She closed her sophomore campaign with an off-the-board finish in the 1 1/8-mile Falls City Handicap (G2).
"We saw what she was made of at the end of last year. She had a little issue in her last race. I don't think it was the distance," Romans said. "We knew this was going to be her year."
Romans said he would weigh his options for Sally's Curlin's next start.
"With this performance, the sky's the limit," he said. "The way she ran today—I didn't know she was going to run that big. … It might change things. We might have to look for some bigger stuff."