Gamine Gets BC Filly & Mare Sprint and Track Record

Since stepping into the starting gate for the first time in her career in March, 3-year-old Gamine has been followed by accolades and rumors. Her victories—while decisive and record-making in many cases—have also been shaded by the specter of possible drug contamination.   

But through it all, the inquests and the accusations, owner Michael Lund Petersen and trainer Bob Baffert have never wavered in their conviction that Gamine's sheer talent could silence any wagging tongues. 

So when their filly ran down the field in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland and set the second track record of her short career, the owner/trainer team proved once again that Gamine is the real deal. 

"I have never trained a filly of this caliber going one turn," Baffert said. "Today she was great. She was perfect. She ran straight as a string and just had it all together. She showed what a wonderful filly she is, and there was no doubt today how brilliant she is. That was a tough field." 

Ridden by Johnny Velazquez, Gamine was sent off as the heavy favorite in the seven-furlong sprint, which was packed with talent. From the break, Gamine was forced to contend with Serengeti Empress, who immediately assumed command and settled at the front on the rail. Despite a slightly wobbly break, Gamine recovered quickly and moved into the two path to stalk the pace. 

Ridden by Luis Saez, 2019 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Serengeti Empress, who was making her final start before being retired to her second career as a broodmare, set blazing fractions of :21.77 and :44.27 through the half-mile. 

Along the backstretch, Gamine kept the leader in her crosshairs before moving out slightly wider off the turn. Gamine managed to get her nose in front of Serengeti Empress at the furlong pole and, with the finish line set before her, began to draw away from the pack with impressive speed. 

Serengeti Empress continued to battle on to the wire but just did not have enough energy in reserve to mount a serious challenge as Gamine cruised home to win by 6 1/4 lengths. The final time of 1:20.20 broke the track record of 1:21.32 set by Taris in 2014. 

"I think we talked about the different scenarios that would happen, and it was obvious that Serengeti Empress, she's a great filly, and that she has to make the lead to do her best running," said Baffert, who admitted that the 1 1/8-mile Oaks distance was likely outside of Gamine's wheelhouse. "But Johnny wanted to get our filly running. And the way she has been working, I knew we could lay off the pace. I've been working her that way, teaching her how to just relax.

"I was talking to Michael during the race, and I was explaining to him (that) we're in good shape and that once Johnny made 'Serengeti' put the metal on, we're going to make her run. He got her running, he got 'Serengeti' running, and then when he tipped out to the outside, that's when I told him, 'Oh, this is perfect. If she's the horse we think she is, she can do it.' And not only did she do it but she showed us more."

Serengeti Empress held on to take second, a nose ahead of Bell's the One in third. Sconsin, Come Dancing, Speech, Sally's Curlin, and Venetian Harbor completed the order of finish. 

It was the second record-shattering performance from Gamine this season. The first came June 20 in the Longines Acorn Stakes (G1) over a mile at Belmont Park where she won by 18 3/4 lengths in 1:32.55. To put it in perspective, Gamine's time is quicker than the fastest time for Belmont Park's premier mile event, the Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1). That record is held by Frosted , who won by 14 1/4 lengths in 2016 and completed the race in 1:32.73.   

As impressive as her Acorn performance was, Gamine put in an equally explosive effort Aug. 8 at Saratoga Race Course in the Longines Test Stakes (G1) where she wired the field to win by seven lengths. Her only misstep, if it can be labeled as such, came Sept. 4 in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs where she finished third. 

"The first time I've ever brought my whole family and we won the race," said Petersen, who had to fight back tears in the winner's circle. "I guess that's why I was so emotional. Not only winning the Breeders' Cup, but just having all of us here was a great, great experience." 

The win was a much-welcomed achievement for the filly's connections following pair of post-race drug positives. The first offense came after her victory in a May 2 allowance-level race at Oaklawn Park, when the daughter of Into Mischief  tested positive for lidocaine and was disqualified upon confirmation with testing of a split sample. The second offense came after the Kentucky Oaks when Gamine tested positive for betamethasone, a corticosteroid and anti-inflammatory medication. Although betamethasone can be used in racehorses as a therapeutic, as of late August, Kentucky requires at least a 14-day withdrawal time and any level of detection on race day is a violation.

While the season was not without its lumps and bumps, Baffert said he was grateful that Petersen continued to support the horse and the team throughout the ordeal. 

"I'm happy and with all she's gone through—and I felt so bad for the filly—but Michael was behind me," Baffert said. "I explained the contamination stuff that was going on, but today we just wanted to show the world that today was her day.

"I think anybody that knows racing, I mean, the headlines don't sound well, but when you get to the facts, they were contamination," Baffert said. "One was an overage, which we're trying to be extra careful, but now the testing has become so sensitive that we even have to be more careful."

"It's all about the team," echoed Petersen. "Bob never wins anything without mentioning his team. We are part of that team, and I'm proud to be part of that team and, of course, we support him." 

Baffert released a statement Nov. 4 outlining a new initiative to implement a set of procedures designed to ensure there are no further medication complaints. 

"I always thought I ran a tight ship. I have to run a tighter ship," Baffert said. "We run it like a barn, and we have to run it more like a hospital, and that's the new norm now. … We’re going to do a better job of making sure we double-check everything, that their hands are clean, everything. 

"We're in a new age now that testing is very sensitive, and I'm all for tons of testing, but I don't want to be thrown in with the bad actors, and it's unfortunate that it happened to her. But I'm just happy that the mare, she showed what a wonderful filly she is, and there was no doubt today." 

Bred in Kentucky by Grace Thoroughbred Holdings, Gamine is out of the Kafwain mare Peggy Jane. Consigned to the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale by Bobby Dodd, she was purchased for $1.8 million by Petersen. The victory improved her record to 4-0-1 from six starts with $1,003,000 in earnings. 

Video: Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1)