Search Results Stays Undefeated in Gazelle
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Search Results wins the Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack
Klaravich Stables' Search Results proved herself over the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) distance and stamped her ticket to the April 30 race with a 2 3/4-length victory in the $250,000 Gazelle Stakes (G3) April 3 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The Flatter filly is undefeated in three starts after winning on debut sprinting six furlongs Jan. 3 at Gulfstream Park and stretching out to a mile to take the March 6 Busher Invitational Stakes at Aqueduct. She won both the Busher and Gazelle, the latter run at the Oaks' 1 1/8-mile distance, without switching leads in the home stretch.
"I thought she was very professional today. She maybe lost focus when she surged to the front and there was no one around her in deep stretch," trainer Chad Brown said. "When she had a horse in front of her I loved the way she was moving into the bit. I was relieved to see that she could handle the mile and an eighth. We were cautiously optimistic, but you always have to see them do it first to be sure."
Irad Ortiz Jr. piloted Search Results, the 2-5 favorite, from the outside post 6 and settled her in second. The pair was three wide into the first turn and raced a length behind the pacesetter Alwayz Late . After rating off fractions of :24.88, and :50.09, and 1:15.06 through six furlongs, Search Results emerged from the turn for home in front and, despite not changing leads, pulled away down the stretch. She ran a mile in 1:40.70 before completing the trip in 1:54.14.
"She did everything right," Ortiz said. "We broke out of there and had a target. Going into the last turn, I had plenty of horse, I was just waiting to make my move. When I asked her, she really picked it up."
The Gazelle awarded Road to the Kentucky Oaks points on a 100-40-20-10 scale to the top four finishers. Search Results has a total of 150 points from winning the Gazelle and Busher, which places her atop the leaderboard that determines the 14 starters allowed in the Oaks.
"If she comes out of it in good shape, that would be the next step and it's something we've been working toward," Brown said of the Oaks. "Although she got her season started late, she seems to be catching up fast on this crop. She seems like one of the contenders, at least, so we're thankful for that."
Maracuja rallied from last to take second at 18-1, the longest odds in the field. Army Wife was third at 14-1, followed by Brown's second entry The Grass Is Blue and Alwayz Late. Mia Martina was eased before the wire.
Search Results was bred in Kentucky by Machmer Hall out of the graded stakes-placed Candy Ride mare Co Cola , who last produced a Flatter colt in 2019 and was bred to Nyquist for 2021. Agent Mike Ryan purchased Search Results from the Select Sales consignment to the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $310,000.
The dark bay or brown filly has earned $299,000.