Groupie Doll Gets Familiar with Gulfstream
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One day after arriving from a brief vacation in Ocala, champion sprinter Groupie Doll galloped at Gulfstream Park the morning of Jan. 8 in preparation for the final start of her brilliant career.
"She's full of fire," trainer Buff Bradley said. "She's a true racehorse. I was walking her in the shedrow this morning and she was walking straight ahead. When we were taking her to the track, she was marching on with it. She's got training on her mind."
The 6-year-old daughter of Bowman's Band was purchased by Mandy Pope for $3.1 million at the Keeneland November Sale from Bradley, his father Fred Bradley, Carl Hurst, and Brent Burns. Pope announced earlier that Groupie Doll will soon be bred to Tapit .
Less than a week prior to her sale, Groupie Doll captured her second straight victory in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park. Groupie Doll is a finalist as North America's champion female sprinter and is expected to win for the second straight year. Winners will be announced during the Eclipse Awards ceremony, to be held at Gulfstream Park Jan. 18.
Before launching her broodmare career, Groupie Doll will run one more time in either the Hurricane Bertie (gr. III) at Gulfstream Feb. 9 or the Santa Monica (gr. II) Jan. 25 at Santa Anita.
"I think the Santa Anita race might be a little short to get her ready for," Bradley said. "For me, I'd like to keep her here in the sunshine. But it's up to the owner. I'll train her and weigh in with what I think, but the owner will have the final say, and I'll be on board with that."
Groupie Doll is scheduled to breeze a half mile at Gulfstream the morning of Jan. 11. She last raced at the oval in March 2012, finishing third in the Inside Information Stakes (gr. II).
Bred in Kentuky by Bradley and his father, Groupie Doll has won 11 of 22 starts, including four grade I stakes, and $2.5 million in purses.
Groupie Doll has run once since being purchased by Pope, finishing a troubled fourth against males in the Cigar Mile (gr. I) at Aqueduct Racetrack Nov. 30, a race in which she was nosed out by Stay Thirsty in 2012.