Significant Form Gets First Win in Miss Grillo Stakes

Disqualified from first in her only other outing, Significant Form made it into the winner's circle Oct. 1 after the $200,000 Miss Grillo Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park. 

The Chad Brown-trained daughter of Creative Cause  stalked from third before sweeping into the stretch for a one-length score Sunday for owner Stephanie Seymour Brant.

"In her first start, it was an unfortunate situation where she was disqualified, but we understand the decision and the situation," Brown said of his runner, who crossed the wire first by 2 1/4 lengths Aug. 27 but shut off Amity in the early stages of that race and was placed seventh.

"She's trained forwardly in the mornings since that race and today she got a good trip and really showed great ability. I was really impressed with how she fought back late in the stretch when (Best Performance) challenged her. This win is really encouraging going forward and heading into the Breeders' Cup (Juvenile Turf Fillies, G1T)."

In Sunday's 1 1/16-mile event for 2-year-old fillies, Life Time Citizen led the field of nine, as Southampton Way raced in second and Significant Form stalked from third. Orbolution tracked behind Significant Form in fifth, as fractions for the first six furlongs went in :24.60, :49.23, and 1:13.67.

With jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. up, Significant Form started a four-wide move outside of the frontrunners around the turn and managed to grab the lead coming into the stretch. The even-money favorite kicked away from a closing Best Performance and Orbolution to finish first in a final time of 1:42.29 over the firm inner turf. 

Best Performance got up for second, 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Orbolution in third. Bramble Queen, Codrington, Africa, Life Time Citizen, Indy Union, and Southampton Way completed the order of finish. 

The winner returned $4.10, $2.80, and $2.20. 

"She broke good and we were really close," Ortiz said of the winning ride. "We weren't going too fast. We ran a little slow, so I wanted to just hold my position. I was good where I was. I knew when I'd asked her, she'd be there for me.

"She's comfortable. Going a mile and a sixteenth as a 2-year-old first time out (Aug. 27)—it's hard. She has a lot of talent and she did it. Coming back today, I knew she'd be better because she already had (the distance)."

Bred in Kentucky by Brereton Jones, out of the unraced Harlan's Holiday mare Church by the Sea, Significant Form is a half sister to grade 3 winner Hay Dakota. She went through the auction ring twice, first purchased for $75,000 as a yearling by Bradley Thoroughbreds as agent at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale. She then brought $575,000 from Peter Brant's White Birch Farm at the Ocala Breeders' Sales' April sale of 2-year-olds in training. 

The filly now has earnings of $120,415.