Gomo Romps in Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland
Image:
Description:
Photo: Keeneland Photo
Gomo and Mario Gutierrez take the Darley Alcibiades Stakes.
The temperature registered in the mid-50s and the rain didn't bother to take a break Oct. 2 at Keeneland, but it was all Southern California sunshine in the winner's circle after Reddam Racing's Gomo rallied to a decisive victory in the $400,000 Darley Alcibiades Stakes (gr. I).
Racing on an off-track for the first time, Gomo thrived in the slop, rallying from fifth early in the 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-old fillies and drawing off to a 2 3/4-length victory over Pocahontas Stakes (gr. II) winner Dothraki Queen. Winning trainer Doug O'Neill said he had some reason to think Gomo, who made her first four previous starts in Southern California, would handle the sloppy track.
"It was something new but she's a real sure-footed filly and we knew she had some speed leaving the gate," O'Neill said. "On these kinds of tracks, I think you want a sure-footed horse who has some speed, so I liked that, but you never know."
Gomo earned a berth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I), as the Alcibiades is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win And You're In" event. O'Neill and owner J. Paul Reddam will be busy in the Breeders' Cup main-track races for 2-year-olds as they plan to send out Gomo and Chandelier Stakes (gr. I) runner-up Land Over Sea in the Juvenile Fillies with FrontRunner Stakes (gr. I) winner Nyquist and Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) winner Ralis in the Sentient Jet Juvenile (gr. I).
Gomo won the Sorrento Stakes (gr. II) this summer at Del Mar before finishing third in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf Stakes Sept. 7. Reddam said they started Gomo in that turf stakes because they had Land Over Sea in the Chandelier and it was a chance to get Gomo her second two-turn start.
O'Neill said he's never had a group of 2-year-olds like he does this year. He and Reddam credited Doug's brother Dennis with picking out Gomo at the 2015 Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. March select sale of 2-year-olds in training. O'Neill went to $75,000 to land the daughter of Uncle Mo from the Eddie Woods consignment.
In Friday's race, Gomo raced fifth through a half-mile cut by Put Da Blame On Me in :49.43. Gomo worked her way to the outside leaving the far turn and took over in the stretch, edging away late to complete 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.55 over a sloppy track.
Magdalena Racing's Dothraki Queen rallied from ninth early to claim second, a length in front of third-place Ma Can Do It. Grade II winner Just Wicked, sent off the 2-1 favorite, could not sustain her rally and finished sixth of 10.
"She ran a really big race," said Dothraki Queen's trainer Ken McPeek. "She didn't have a very good trip. She got boxed in a big portion of the way and she ran farther than the winner on the TRAKUS. She's a really good filly. You want to win, but she'll be back for the next one.
"She's so brave. She had a horse on each side and two in front of her with nowhere to go for three-eighths of a mile, stuck in that pocket. When she got out, she ran like the good horse she is."
Gomo returned $12.60 to win, $6 to place, and $4 to show, while Dothraki Queen paid $4.40 and $3.40. Maiden Ma Can Do It earned her first stakes placing and paid $5.40 to show.
Gomo is the second grade I winner for leading freshman sire Uncle Mo, the 2010 Juvenile winner who also boasts Reddam's grade I-winning colt Nyquist.
Bred in Kentucky by John Liviakis, Gomo is the first winner out of the winning Elusive Quality mare Gentle Audrey.