Gam's Mission Gives DeVaux First Graded Win in Regret
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Photo: Coady Photography
Gam's Mission wins the Regret Stakes at Churchill Downs
Lazy F Ranch's Gam's Mission collected her third straight victory and first stakes win May 29 at Churchill Downs, running down favored Spanish Loveaffair to win the $150,000 Regret Stakes (G3T).
The Regret was also the first graded stakes win for trainer Cherie DeVaux, a former assistant to four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown who went out on her own in 2018.
Gam's Mission was piloted by Adam Beschizza in the 1 1/8-mile turf event for 3-year-old fillies. She broke from post 7 and was bumped at the start when stablemate Postnup broke out from post 6. Postnup went out to the front and led through an opening quarter-mile in :24.55 and a half in :49.56. Spanish Loveaffair pressed the pace in second before taking over to post six furlongs in 1:14.27. Gam's Mission was settled in fifth and in the four path entering the lane.
Spanish Loveaffair was set down for the drive by jockey Tyler Gaffalione but Beschizza had Gam's Mission rallying in front of the grandstand. Gam's Mission rolled past Flown , who raced in third most of the race, before catching Spanish Loveaffair to win by three-quarters of a length. The Noble Mission filly completed the nine furlongs in 1:51.02 on a good turf course.
"I'm very pleased with her effort today," DeVaux said. "Adam had her in a really good position throughout. She was a little green coming up the stretch but she's lightly raced and still figuring it out. The Triple Tiara (in New York) is definitely on the table; it would be great to go compete in that."
The New York Racing Association offers the Turf Triple series for 3-year-olds. The races in the fillies' division are the July 10 Belmont Oaks (G1T), Aug. 8 Saratoga Oaks (G3T), and Sept. 18 Jockey Club Oaks.
Spanish Loveaffair kept her head in front of third-placed Flown for second. Another three-quarters of a length back was Oyster Box in fourth. Barista , Munnyfor Ro , Line Dancing , and Postnup completed the order of finish. Saranya was scratched.
Gam's Mission increased her earnings to $201,258 and won her third race in four career starts.
"I was pretty confident with her stepping up to this distance. She seems to have a very nice kick," Beschizza said. "Since she broke her maiden she's really started to put things together. We didn't go quite fast but the pace was a little testing."
Bred in Kentucky by Lazy F Ranch, Gam's Mission was produced from the War Pass mare Auntie Martha, a daughter of the grade 1-winning Theatrical mare Auntie Mame . Auntie Martha is dam of two winners from two to race. She also has Tricky Lee, an unraced 2-year-old colt by Tonalist , a yearling filly by Cat Burglar , and foaled a colt by Dads Caps April 21.
Auntie Martha was also bred by Lazy F Ranch. She sold to Richard Barton Enterprises for $11,000 when consigned by Lane's End to the 2018 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
Video: Regret S. (G3T)
Cellist First Stakes Winner for Big Blue Kitten
Calumet Farm's homebred Cellist stepped up to stakes company in the $150,000 Audubon Stakes at Churchill Downs Saturday and became the first black-type winner for Calumet's second-crop stallion Big Blue Kitten .
Cellist wins the Audubon Stakes at Churchill Downs
Cellist was ridden by Julien Leparoux and sent to the lead in the 1 1/8-mile turf event for 3-year-olds. The bay colt posted opening fractions of :25.54, :51.20, and 1:16.12 on the good turf course as Royal Prince tracked in second. Like the King , who finished 12th in the May 1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) on the main track, settled in fourth.
Royal Prince continued to follow Cellist in second through a 1:39.65 mile, but ultimately could not stay with the front-runner. Palazzi rallied from sixth and made up ground to get close to the leader, but Cellist held strong to cross the finish line three-quarters of a length in front. The final time was 1:51.53.
Palazzi was second 2 1/1 lengths ahead of Royal Prince, who faded to third. Hidden Enemy , Like the King, Holy Vow , and Cave Hill completed the order of finish. Haddassah was scratched.
The Audubon was the second win in four starts for Cellist ($7.60), who has earned $131,740 under the care of trainer Rusty Arnold.
"In his last start he didn't get away from the gate that well. Today, he got away great and settled into a nice rhythm the entire way around there," Arnold said. "I thought he ran great races in all three of his prior starts. He had trouble in his first start and his last race. He put it all together today."
Foaled in Kentucky, Cellist is out of the English Channel mare Cello, a full sister to multiple grade 3 winner, multiple grade 1-placed Optimizer and dam of three winners from four starters. Cello is also dam of Watch the Music, an unraced 2-year-old gelding by Bal a Bali , and a yearling filly by Producer . She was bred to Real Solution for 2021.
Hakan Keles, with Sancal as agent, purchased Cello for $12,000 from Calumet's consignment to the 2020 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.