Gamine Adds Ballerina Trophy to Collection
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Gamine wins the Ballerina Handicap at Saratoga Race Course
An unexpected downpour at Saratoga Race Course couldn't dampen the spirits of Michael Lund Petersen as he watched his 4-year-old filly Gamine add another top score to her already impressive record when she won the Aug. 28 $500,000 Ketel One Ballerina Handicap (G1).
Grinning through rain-dotted spectacles, Petersen could barely contain a sense of disbelief at what his $1.8 million 2-year-old purchase has accomplished.
"This is the most fun I ever had in horse racing," he said. "I'm just blessed to own a horse like her. It's crazy."
Though being assigned post 1 isn't ideal for a filly that goes right to the lead, 1-5 favorite Gamine and Hall of Famer John Velazquez dispatched that obstacle with ease, gaining the advantage and never surrendering it. Estilo Talentoso kept to her flank through the early going, eventually fading to finish off the board in the seven-furlong test.
After stalking in third off splits of :23.20, :45.68, and 1:09.20, 18-1 shot Lake Avenue got up for second, 1 3/4 lengths behind the winner. Ce Ce finished third another 1 1/4 lengths back. Completing the order of finish were Sconsin , Estilo Talentoso, Truth Hurts , and Casual .
Trained by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, Gamine ran the seven furlongs in 1:21.61 on a fast track.
Gamine wins the Ballerina Handicap
"She got out of the gate like we wanted her to. That's always the nerve-wracking thing, especially after what happened in the (Derby City) Distaff (G1)," said Petersen, referring to the race on the Kentucky Derby Day card in which the filly bobbled at the start, eventually winning by 1 1/2 lengths. "We'd have loved to break from another post, but we had no concerns about it. She obviously handled it very well."
"We were down in the one hole, so you have to break and go from there," said Jimmy Barnes, Baffert's assistant. "She handled the gate well, broke well, and Johnny put her in the race."
Petersen purchased the daughter of Into Mischief from Bobby Dodd's consignment at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training for a record price.
"When I was buying her, Bob said, 'Don't let her go,'" said the owner. "When he says that, he usually knows what he's talking about."
Gamine was bred in Kentucky by Grace Thoroughbred Holdings. She is out of the stakes-placed Kafwain mare Peggy Jane , who has two winners from four starters. Peggy Jane has three unraced foals: a 2-year-old Ghostzapper filly, a yearling Kantharos colt, and an Into Mischief colt born this year. She was bred back to Into Mischief for 2022. The yearling colt is entered in the Keeneland September Yearling Sale as part of the Summerfield consignment.
"I have a lot of other horses I paid a lot of money for that didn't turn out so good," said the owner. "I'm just grateful this one did."
In 2020, Gamine won the Longines Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga by seven lengths. Unlike his filly, Petersen was making his first trip to Saratoga, citing last year's traveling difficulties as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason he didn't attend last summer.
"I love it here," he said, despite getting soaked in the winner's circle.
Velazquez has ridden the filly for her last eight starts, beginning with her 18 3/4-length win in the Longines Acorn Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park in June of last year. Seven of those starts have been wins, five of them in grade 1 races. He also rode her to a third-place finish in the 2020 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), a position from which she was disqualified after testing positive for betamethasone.
Gamine ($2.70) is undefeated in four starts in 2021 for Baffert and has built a five-race win streak dating back to her 6 1/4-length Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) score. The Ballerina is a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race for that championship event, awarding Gamine a fees-paid berth in this year's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Nov. 6 at Del Mar.
"I'm exhilarated and I hope she stays healthy," said Petersen. "At least she doesn't have to give weight like she did here. Southern California is home for her, so that's good."
Gamine carried 126 pounds in the Ballerina, giving as much as eight pounds to her rivals. She has earned $1,681,500 from her nine wins in 10 starts.
Baffert was not in attendance, and Petersen was resolute in his support for the beleaguered trainer, who is facing public opprobrium following a series of medication positives in his runners, particularly Medina Spirit 's betamethasone overage in this year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).
"I think he's gotten such an unfair rep. If you know him just a little bit, you know he's not a cheater," declared Petersen. "He has so much integrity, and I never for a second thought about taking horses from him.
"Of course he made a mistake. But I make mistakes in my life. I don't think he deserves to be grilled the way he has been."