Birdatthewire Tops Familiar Rivals in GP Oaks
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Forum Racing's Birdatthewire flipped the script on familiar rivals Ekati's Phaeton and Eskenformoney March 28 with a closing victory in the $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (gr. II) .
Favored at 8-5, the 3-year-old daughter of Summer Bird was steadied in the backstretch, but still had enough to rally under urging from Irad Ortiz Jr. to win by 1 1/4 lengths. She completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:47.40 on a Gulfstream Park dirt course labeled fast.
"I was worried down the backside," trainer Dale Romans said. "It looked like (Ortiz) lost his irons. He was standing up trying to pull her up. He said she was just getting so rank with him and wanted to go. That was really impressive."
The filly used a similar closing bid to win the Forward Gal (gr. II) Jan. 24 at Gulfstream, then was a neck behind in third to Ekati's Phaeton and Eskenformoney in the Feb. 21 Davona Dale (gr. II).
The winner sat in seventh when Ekati's Phaeton jumped out to an opening quarter in :23.83 and the half in :48.25. Stalking Eskenformoney took over the lead after six furlongs in 1:13.57 and held a half-length advantage in the stretch, only to be tracked down on the outside by the winner.
"She was so strong on the backside, I was trying to get her to relax, because she comes from behind—that's her race," Ortiz said. "I tried to do my best to wait. She was pulling, but when I asked her to run, she took off. She was ready. I wasn't sure she would have energy for the end, but she (did). Not too many horses do that."
Birdatthewire returned $5.40, $3, and $2.40. About a length back in second, Eskenformoney delivered $3.60 and $2.80. Longshot Danessa Deluxe (14-1) got up to finish third and paid $4.40 to show.
Bred by Lynn and Kathy Jones out of the Wagon Limit mare My Limit, Birdatthewire improved her record to 3-2-1 from seven career starts and upped her lifetime earnings to $346,010.
Devine Aida, who entered the Oaks on a four-race win streak, finished fourth, followed by Sweet Swingin, Cristina's Journey, Ekati's Phaeton, and Holywell.