Photo: Adam Coglianese
Pure Gossip, a two-year-old chestnut daughter of Pure Prize racing in the light blue silks of the late Carl Lizza’s Flying Zee Stables, ran away with the honors in her career debut on opening day at Saratoga, winning a maiden special weight for New York-bred fillies by a decisive 3 ½ lengths after being overlooked in the betting at odds of 37-1.
The 5 ½-furlong sprint, named in honor of recovering shooting victim Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, attracted 11 promising state-bred fillies, among them post time favorite Sing Like a Bird, a daughter of Lawyer Ron bred by Hickory Hill Farm Thoroughbreds. Like a Bird has attracted spirited bidding three times at auction, most recently when she sold to owners Happy Hill farm for $225,000 at this year’s Fasig-Tipton Florida sale. Francis Paolangeli’s Wildcat’s Smile (Forest Wildcat) also took money as a half-sister to stakes-placed speedster Johannesburg Smile, currently entered in the Evan Shipman S. at Saratoga on Monday. As often in maiden races, however, especially at Saratoga, the best horse of the day will go under the radar, and the public let Phil Serpe-trainee Pure Gossip go to the post under Alex Solis as the second longest shot on the board at odds of 37-1.
Pure Gossip veered in slightly after the start from her inside post, but got settled almost immediately afterward and set up shop at the rail in fourth position. The eager pacesetter was the aptly-named Project Runaway, with Wildcat’s Smile and Cinnamon Stick in pursuit in second and third.
Ridden right along by Solis down the stretch and into the turn, Pure Gossip cornered professionally, switched leads on command and advanced confidently along rail. Striking the front around the three-sixteenths pole, the filly kept true to her path and cruised home to victory while opening up 3 ½ lengths on the field. Lender’s Way came from way out of it with a good late run to get up for second, while Wildcat’s Smile, in the vanguard throughout, hung on for third. After sharp fractions of 21.84 and 45.62, the final time for the 5 ½ furlongs was 1:04.89. [VIDEO]
Bred by Nustar Breeding LLC, and foaled at Highcliff Farm in Delanson, Pure Gossip is the fourth foal to start out of the unraced Dixieland Band mare Dixieland Achiever. Her other winner, three-year-old Lady Vi, a daughter of Tale of the Cat, won last year’s Lady Finger Stakes at the Farmington, NY racetrack. Dixieland Achiever did not bring a foal to term in 2010, but has an April 2011 colt by Eddington.
Presentation by Captain (USN) and NASA astronaut Mark Kelly (Photo: Adam Coglianese)
Gabrielle Giffords’ husband, United States Naval Captain and NASA astronaut Mark Kelly, who commanded the final flight of the space shuttle Endeavour earlier this summer, made the winner’s presentation to the connections of the winner. “It is great to be here in Saratoga today,” said Kelly. “I don’t get a lot of chances to come out to a races and this is certainly a beautiful place to be. It is very nice that The New York Racing Association decided to honor my wife here today and even though I was cheering for the Wildcat horse, which is the University of Arizona, [Pure Gossip] came in and that’s great too. It’s really a spectacular day so thank you very much.”
