Thewayiam, Maraud Stand Out on Gulfstream Lawn

A fierce and fearless filly, Thewayiam dived through with a bold inside move March 3 to win the $100,000 Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park.

The 3-year-old daughter of Thewayyouare has won four of five starts for trainer Graham Motion since coming to the United States from Europe. She remains perfect on the Gulfstream lawn, where she captured the Jan. 6 Ginger Brew Stakes and the Feb. 3 Sweetest Chant Stakes (G3T) for Great Point Stables, Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables.

"She loves the course," Dubb said. "I don't know if this is a horse for the course or a horse that's just getting better. I think it's a case of both, I really do."

Benefiting from a ground-saving trip Saturday under Jose Ortiz, Thewayiam rated near the back of the eight-horse field as My Favorite Gift set opening fractions of :23.77 and :48.33. Sixth as three quarters went in 1:12.34, Thewayiam hugged the fence and slipped through inside the tiring front-runner, then kicked clear to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Todd Pletcher-trained Amertume, second for most of the 1 1/16-mile test, claimed the runner-up spot. Brattata was third behind a final time of 1:41.41 on turf rated firm.

Thewayiam was the 120-pound highweight and 3-2 choice. She returned $5, $2.80, and $2.20.

"She seems to be getting better and better," Dubb said. "She seems to be push-button. I was concerned about the weight we were giving to some horses, including (Amertume), who ran second. I think (she is) a very nice horse.

"Jose really knows this horse. She's not afraid of the rail, she's not afraid to split horses. He knows he can save ground and make his one move. The one bad trip she had, we were out in Del Mar (for the Nov. 25 Jimmy Durante Stakes, G3T) from (post 11) and tried to use her early, and there was no gas left in the tank."

Ortiz summed up the race succinctly.

"I went to the fence and saved all the ground. I stayed there and when it was time to go, she responded really, really well," he said.

Bred in France by SCA La Perrigne out of the Dansili (GB) mare Water Feature (GB), Thewayiam was a US$18,658 purchase by Yan Durepaire from Perrigne's consignment to the Arquana Deauville October yearling sale. She won once from three starts in France and was scouted for a move to the U.S. by Nicolas de Watrigant's Mandore International Agency for BSW Bloodstock. With five wins and a third from eight starts, her earnings stand at $213,537.

Earlier on the card, Treadway Racing Stable's Maraud edged past Dania Beach Stakes (G3T) winner Speed Franco inside the final 70 yards to win the $100,000 Palm Beach Stakes (G3T) by a neck. Previously unbeaten Therapist, winner of the Awad Stakes at Belmont Park in October, finished third, 2 1/4 lengths back.

 Maraud, a 3-year-old son of Blame  trained by Pletcher and ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.01.

Speed Franco, who came from off the pace to win the Dania Beach, went to the front Saturday under jockey Emisael Jaramillo and was tracked by Maraud in second through fractions of :23.89, :48.56 and 1:12.60. Around the final turn, Speed Franco and Maraud gamely battled down the stretch before Maraud took the lead.

Pletcher called it a "good, determined run" by Maraud, who was third in the Dec. 9 Pulpit Stakes before he won an entry-level allowance Jan. 13.

"I'm not sure what's next," the trainer said. "There's the race on Florida Derby Day (the $125,000 Cutler Bay Stakes), or I might wait until Keeneland. We'll see how he comes out of it."

Maraud was bred in Kentucky by John R. Penn & Frank Penn out of the Empire Maker  mare Unbridled Empire, who also produced grade 2 winner Arklow. He was pinhooked by Crupi's New Castle Farm through Penn Sales' consignment to the 2016 Keeneland September yearling sale, where he brought $100,000. Charles Boden Thoroughbreds went to $375,000 to obtain the bay colt from the New Castle consignment to last year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale of 2-year-olds in training. 

With three wins and two thirds from five starts, Maraud has earned $164,010.