Gaga A Tries Graded Company in Modesty 'Cap

Haras Phillipson's homebred Gaga A impressed in her U.S. debut, so trainer Neil Drysdale has elected to run the 6-year-old T. H. Approval mare in her first graded North American race July 11, with the possibilities of bigger and better in mind.

Gaga A is one of 10 older fillies and mares scheduled to take part in the $100,000 Modesty Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Arlington International Racecourse. Shipping from her Southern California base shouldn't be a problem for the Uruguayan-bred mare who raced in South America and France from 2012 to 2014 before relocating stateside.

In her U.S. debut, the Possibly Perfect Handicap June 7 at Santa Anita Park, Gaga A stalked and pounced to win the $75,000 stakes covering 1 1/2 miles on the turf by 1 1/4 lengths over graded stakes-placed Gas Total. She'll have to dial back for the Modesty, at 1 3/16 miles, and will break from post 8 with jockey Flavien Prat, who will be replacing Tyler Baze but has experience riding the mare in the morning.

Gaga A also has a two-race winning streak dating back to Nov. 11, when she won the Prix Fille de l'Air (Fra-III) at Toulouse.

"If she runs well there, we'll think about the ($750,000) Beverly D. (gr. IT, at Arlington Aug. 15)," Drysdale said.

Graded-stakes winners Riposte and Overheard figure to be the main challengers, but both are on four-race winless streaks. Juddmonte Farms' homebred Riposte won the New York and Sheepshead Bay stakes (both gr. IIT) back-to-back in 2014, while Pin Oak Stable's homebred Overheard won the 2013 Pin Oak Valley View Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland and the 2014 Dance Smartly Stakes (Can-II) at Woodbine.

Graded stakes-placed Lots o' Lex; stakes winners Notte d'Oro, Walk Close and Mango Diva; and allowance winners Seeking Treasure, Honey Lake, and Rock Me Mama complete the field.