Silver Stripes, Game Change Score at Gulfstream

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. 

Gulfstream Park

Two well-bred sophomores took their photos for the first time this past weekend in sunny southern Florida. At Gulfstream Park, the Tapit   filly Silver Stripes  vindicated her $800,000 price tag with a determined debut score for owners C R K Stable and trainer Cherie DeVaux.

Originally scheduled for one mile on the turf, the $70,000 maiden special weight was moved to the inner synthetic course after a bout of stormy weather. The change in surface wasn't a concern for DeVaux and the connections of Silver Stripes since the filly had breezed nicely over the Tapeta training track at Keeneland last fall before her Florida arrival.

Sent to post as the fourth choice in the field of eight, jockey Javier Castellano settled the gray in fourth position as the pacesetters battled through a :24.24 opening quarter followed by a :47.87 half-mile. Castellano cued Silver Stripes around the final bend and she advanced willingly, racing widest of all turning for home and engaging the frontrunning Soviet Express at the top of the lane. Veering in slightly mid-stretch, Castellano corrected and straightened out the filly and she finished strongly to the wire, prevailing by a half-length over her rival.

Silver Stripes completed the mile and 70 yards in 1:40.05.

"She had been training really well and acted like she had a lot of ability," DeVaux said of Silver Stripes. "I was a little concerned about the distance because she was just starting to come around physically, so I was super pleased with how she ran. She's an exciting horse going forward."

DeVaux reported that she would like to further develop the filly before making the deep dive into stakes waters, although she believes Silver Stripes can be a stakes-quality filly down the line.

"We'll probably find an allowance race for her next," DeVaux said. "She's a Tapit and they can get a little busy-minded so we'll try not to throw to much at her."

Silver Stripes is the first foal produced from the Equal Stripes mare Madame Stripes. Group 1-placed in her native Argentina, Madam Stripes was then campaigned in North America, where she registered victories in the Megahertz Stakes (G3T) and Osunitas Stakes in addition to placing in seven other graded stakes races. A mile specialist on the turf, she earned $446,713 in her 25-start career.

Earlier in the week, Joseph Allen's Game Change  put it all together to make his fourth start a winning one in a 1 1/16-mile $70,000 maiden special weight at the Hallandale Beach oval.

Stalking a quick early pace under jockey Tyler Gaffalione, the 7-1 shot was angled to the rail coming off the turn and surged past the favorites to take control in the final furlong. The Shug McGaughey pupil strided out powerfully to the finish, 3 1/4 lengths in front at the wire in a final time of 1:44.73 on a fast main track.

Distance should be no issue for the rangy Candy Ride   colt, whose immediate female family includes multiple grade 1 winner Verrazano  and grade 2 winner El Padrino. Though his dam, the Pulpit mare Sweet Corinne, won in maiden special weight company at second asking, she failed to live up to the potential shown by her more accomplished siblings. Verrazano, a massive son of More Than Ready, stamped himself as a Kentucky Derby (G1) contender in 2013 after rolling to four straight wins in his sophomore season. The Wood Memorial (G1) victor could fair no better than 14th on the First Saturday in May, but redeemed himself later that summer with a scintillating victory in the Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park.

One year prior, Verazzano's half brother, the blaze-faced El Padrino also lined up in the Run for the Roses, having earned his slot with a win in the Risen Star Stakes (G2) and fourth-place effort in the Florida Derby (G1). El Padrino also finished unplaced in the Derby and struggled with soundness issues for the remainder of his career before retiring to stud. The son of Pulpit died from colic in 2017 after siring just four crops.

Game Change, unplaced in his first two starts at 2 before racing fourth in a Dec. 31 maiden special weight at Gulfstream, sold to Northshore Bloodstock for $850,000 as a yearling at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.