Katie Romps!

Photo: Coglianese Photos/Leslie Martin

Kauai Katie cruises in the Forward GaL

Kauai Katie found Gulfstream Park to her liking once again when capturing the Forward Gal Stakes (gr. II) Jan. 26 as the 3-10 choice.

After beginning her 3-year-old campaign with a smart eight-length score in the Old Hat Stakes (gr. III) Jan.1, Kauai Katie captured the Forward Gal at seven furlongs in 1:22.13 under John Velazquez (VIDEO).

Kauai Katie, whose sole loss came in the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) in November when fourth, took a slight lead at the start of the Forward Gal with Pow Wow Wow, Spring Venture, and My Happy Face in close pursuit through a quarter-mile in 22.89.

Approaching the stretch, Kauai Katie began pulling away and reached the eighth pole three lengths in front of My Happy Face in 1:09.67 for the six furlongs. Kauai Katie cruised under the wire to win by 5 1/2 lengths over My Happy Face, with Pow Wow Wow finishing third, 2 3/4 lengths behind the runner-up.

Fusaichiswonderful, who was unbeaten in her five starts in Puerto Rico and was making her first start off the island, finished fourth, followed by Spring Venture, a Sovereign Award finalist, and Ashlee's Princess.

The victory was the fifth for Kauai Katie, who races for Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Stables and is trained by Todd Pletcher. Her other stakes scores included victories in the Matron Stakes (gr. II) at Belmont Park and the Adirondack Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga Race Course. Kauai Katie had signaled her initial readiness with a 12-length win at Saratoga in her debut.

Kauai Katie earned $120,000 of the $200,000 Forward Gal purse to up her earnings to $588,000. The Forward Gal is named after A.I. "Butch" Savin's champion 2-year-old filly of 1970.

Bred in Kentucky by B. Wayne Hughes' Spendthrift Farm, Kauai Katie is out of the stakes-winning More Than Ready mare More Than Pretty and is a full sister to grade III winner Winding Way.

Kauai Katie paid $2.60, $2.20, and $2.10. My Happy Face rewarded her backers with $3.40 and $2.40, and Pow Wow Wow returned $5.20. The 6-3 exacta paid $6.80, the 6-3-5 trifecta was worth $43.20, and the 6-3-5-2 superfecta paid $135. 40.



Read more on BloodHorse.com: www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/75857/kauai-katie-romps-in-forward-gal#ixzz2J7s55dn9