Gala Brand Steps Up to Defeat Boys in With Anticipation

Arnmore Thoroughbreds and Even Keel Thoroughbreds' Gala Brand  scratched out of an engagement against her female counterparts in the Aug. 30 off-the-turf P.G. Johnson, but the 2-year-old daughter of Violence   showed grit and determination to defeat males in the next day's With Anticipation (G3T), a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for juveniles, Aug. 31 at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Gala Brand swept from last-to-first under Jose Ortiz to outduel Carson's Run  in a thrilling stretch drive, awarding her with both her first triumph against winners and first career stakes score on the heels of a debut win Aug. 3. The final margin was a half-length, in a final time of 1:45.93.

A game Carson's Run secured place honors, 1 1/4 lengths ahead of his Christophe Clement-trained stablemate Spirit Prince , with Nomos  and Get Spooled  finishing fourth in a dead heat. Wine Collector  and Market Street  completed the order of finish. British Sea  was scratched. 

Ortiz, who won his third stake of the meet, said following the talented Carson's Run throughout was key to the victory.

"The main thing first time going long was to keep her in good rhythm and just let her be and that's what I did," Ortiz said. "She was full of run, very nice filly."

Gala Brand banked $96,250 in victory and returned $7.80 on a $2 win ticket.

Video: With Anticipation S. (G3T)