Juliet Foxtrot in Step in Gallorette
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Photo: Jim Duley/Maryland Jockey Club
Juliet Foxtrot wins the Gallorette Stakes at Pimlico Race Course
Juddmonte Farms' homebred Juliet Foxtrot, the even-money favorite, was a one-length winner of the $150,000 Gallorette Stakes (G3T) Oct. 3 at Pimlico Race Course.
The 5-year-old mare by Dansili traveled the 1 1/16 miles in 1:49.24 on a yielding course. Augustin Stable's Varenka rallied from last for the runner-up slot.
Juliet Foxtrot was a grade 3 winner last season in the U.S. for trainer Brad Cox after beginning her career overseas. She was third in the July 11 Coolmore Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland and fourth in the Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (G2T) at Churchill Downs prior to the Gallorette.
Longshot Jabuticaba broke sharply in the six-horse field and set the early pace under Forest Boyce. The early splits went in :25.24 for the opening quarter-mile and :50.49 for the half-mile as rider Florent Geroux on Juliet Foxtrot sat right off the leader down the backstretch.
When given her cue, Juliet Foxtrot had little trouble shaking the pacesetter and taking the lead at the head of the lane, getting six furlongs in 1:15.92. They opened on the field by four lengths at the eighth pole as a few others made headway. Varenka, with Trevor McCarthy up, came with a wide move to get second but never seriously threatened the winner.
"(Jabuticaba) had plenty of speed, but I didn't want to be in a hurry. I wanted to sit as long as possible," Geroux said. "When I asked her to go, she went on.
"We're not sure how far she wants to go. I think she is a true miler," he said. "I think she prefers firm turf, so today the ground was a bit of a concern, but she was able to show her class. She won by her class today."
Juliet Foxtrot is out of the stakes-winning King's Best mare Kilo Alpha and is a half sister to a pair of stakes-placed runners, including group 3-placed Alpha Bravo (Oasis Dream). Kilo Alpha's second dam is blue hen Navajo Princess, the dam of Juddmonte stars Dancing Brave and Jolypha.
The score pushed Juliet Foxtrot's record to 5-2-2 in 18 starts, and the $90,000 first prize lifted her earnings to $485,831.
Juliet Foxtrot paid $4.20 on a $2 win ticket. No Mo Lady, 2 1/4 lengths behind Varenka, She'sonthewarpath, Storm the Hill, and Jabuticaba completed the order of finish.
Not in Jeopardy, trained by Ann Merryman, was scratched, as was main-track-only entrant Wicked Awesome. The latter won a starter allowance race Oct. 2 by 10 3/4 lengths.