Four Notable Fillies Earn First Victories

This column highlights the performances of maidens who have made no more than five starts and who either sold for more than $500,000 at public auction, have siblings that are grade/group winners, or have dams that are grade/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners in particular who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners.

Belmont 

Cheyenne Stable's Osiria  went wire to wire in a six-furlong turf test for maiden fillies and mares May 27 to earn her first win in her third start for trainer Christophe Clement at Belmont Park.

The Malibu Moon filly, a full sister to grade 2 winner and sire Stanford  , was ridden in Friday's race by jockey Joel Rosario. After shooting out of the gate with the lead, Osiria set fractions of :21.92, :44.27, and :55.74 through five furlongs before fighting off foes in the stretch and earning a 1 3/4-length victory stopping the timer at 1:08.01 on a firm course.

Prior to her winning effort, Osiria had finished ninth and last in her Feb. 6 debut on the main track at Gulfstream Park. She tried the grass in her next start April 9 at Aqueduct Racetrack, finishing third.

Bred by Ron Stolich, Osiria is out of the Distorted Humor mare Rosy Humor, whose other progeny include graded stakes-placed Hedge Fund  (by Super Saver  ).

Delaware 

Godolphin's homebred Gina  also won on third asking, taking a 5 1/2-furlong sprint for fillies and mares May 25 at Delaware Park.

The Maclean's Music   filly is trained by Michael Stidham, who also trained her older half brother, the 2021 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) winner Mystic Guide . After finishing third behind subsequent Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1) third-place finisher Sequist  at Colonial Downs in her debut, Gina finished off the board on the all-weather track at Woodbine while going a mile and 70 yards in September of last year.

In Wednesday's test, Gina pressed the pace from the two path under jockey Angel Suarez as a quarter-mile went in :22.73 and a half in :46.08. Midway around the turn, Gina headed the leader and was two lengths ahead by the time they hit the top of the stretch. From there she opened up on the field, finishing 5 3/4 lengths ahead in a final time of 1:03.95 on the fast track.

Gina is out of the A.P. Indy mare Music Note , a winner of five grade 1 stakes in 2008-09. Music Note also finished third in the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic (G1) in both of those years. Among her notable progeny is last year's Penn Mile Stakes (G3) winner Gershwin .

Later that same day, Augustin Stable's Diva Ready  won her second start for trainer Jonathan Thomas. The 3-year-old daughter of More Than Ready   powered home to a 4 3/4-length win in a maiden special weight for fillies and mares going a mile and 70 yards on the turf.

Ridden by Jaime Rodriguez, Diva Ready stalked from third, split the leaders turning for home, and took over entering the lane. She wrapped up the race in a final time of 1:40.34 on firm going.

Bred by Augustin's owner George Strawbridge Jr., Diva Ready is out of the Holy Roman Emperor  mare Mango Diva , a group 2 winner in Ireland.

Churchill 

After several frustrating finishes, Little Mombo  nabbed her first win in her fifth start for owners Rigney Racing and trainer Philip Bauer on a sloppy track at Churchill Downs May 26.

The Into Mischief   filly debuted Dec. 3 as a 2-year-old but finished fourth going six furlongs at Oaklawn Park. She returned in Jan. and Feb. to race over the same track and distance and finished second in both efforts. In her most recent start April 7, again at six furlongs at Oaklawn, she finished third.

Shortened to 5 1/2 furlongs for Thursday's race, Little Mombo raced in second with Florent Geroux up as fractions went in :22.48 and :45.94 for four furlongs. When asked at the top of the stretch, Little Mombo found the right gear and drew off to a seven-length victory, finishing the distance in 1:04.11.

Bred by Mulholland Springs, Tom Grether Farms, and Elizabeth Hager, Little Mombo is out of the stakes-placed Dynaformer mare Samiam . The filly was a $500,000 purchase from Paramount Sales at the 2020 Keeneland September Sale.