Chelsea Durand Photo

Gun Song chases more graded success in G2 Mother Goose

by Mary Eddy

R. Lee Lewis’ Grade 2-winner Gun Song tops a competitive field of eight for Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Mother Goose, a nine-furlong route for sophomore fillies, at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Mark Hennig, the daughter of Gun Runner enters from a valiant runner-up effort to divisional leader Thorpedo Anna in the Grade 1 Cotillion on September 21 at Parx Racing. There, she stalked just off the pace and improved to a half-length lead at the stretch call. She dug in determinedly under Hall of Famer John Velazquez and fought to the wire, but could not fend off Thorpedo Anna and was defeated a neck to earn her first Grade 1 placing. She was awarded a career-best 93 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

“That was a huge effort,” Hennig said. “I’ve always felt like she’s got a lot of ability if she puts it all together on the right day. She came close, but Anna is tough and found a way. If someone could have just held her inside there a little longer, we might have pulled off a stunner.”

Gun Song is readying for her ninth start this year, and looks to add to a strong campaign that includes her first graded score in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan in May at Pimlico Race Course, and a victory in the Cathryn Sophia in August at Parx. She was also a narrowly-beaten second in the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks in July at its namesake oval.

The chestnut filly posted her final work in prep for the Mother Goose with a half-mile breeze in 49 seconds flat on Friday over Belmont Park’s dirt training track.

“All set and everything is good. She breezed over the weekend and came out of that great,” Hennig said.

As much as Gun Song has accomplished as a sophomore, Hennig said he believes even greater things are on the horizon for his star filly.

“She’s really blossomed. We were saying this morning, she’s still growing and getting taller and taller,” Hennig said, with a laugh. “I look forward to next year with her. She’ll really mature a lot mentally. She has this year, too, and it’s been fun to watch.”

Gun Song was a $400,000 purchase at the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training and is out of the graded stakes-winning Mr. Greeley mare Nicole H.

Velazquez retains the mount from post 5.

Dual Eclipse Award-winning conditioner Brad Cox will saddle Godolphin’s multiple graded stakes-winning Kentucky homebred Tarifa [post 3, Flavien Prat] in search of his first win in this event.

The dark bay daughter of Bernardini was last seen finishing third in the Cotillion 3 1/2 lengths back of Thorpedo Anna and Gun Song after a stalking trip engineered by returning rider Flavien Prat.

Tarifa looks to notch her third graded conquest this year after wins at Fair Grounds Race Course in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra in February and the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks in March ahead of a distant off-the-board finish in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks. She was away from the races until August when returning with a runner-up effort in the seven-furlong Audubon Oaks at Ellis Park in her start prior to the Cotillion.

Tarifa is out of the unraced Awesome Again mare Kite Beach. Her third dam is Reine de Course broodmare Cee’s Song, who produced Hall of Famer and breed-shaping stallion Tiznow.

Repole Stable’s graded stakes-winner Life Talk [post 6, Kendrick Carmouche] seeks her first trip to the winner’s circle since taking the Grade 2 Demoiselle over course and distance in December.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the daughter of Gun Runner began her campaign with two off-the-board efforts in stakes company before a five-month respite. She returned last out with a strong off-the-pace effort in the Listed Seneca Overnight on September 21 at Churchill Downs to finish a half-length second to stablemate Miss Justify.

The stalk-and-pounce effort was engineered by Junior Alvarado, who held her 3 1/2 lengths off the pace in fifth-of-8 through the first half-mile before rousing her with a four-wide bid into the lane to come up just shy of victory. She equaled a career-best 84 Beyer Speed Figure for the performance, matching the Demoiselle.

“I thought her comeback race was very good and she’s been training well since then,” Pletcher said. “I thought it indicated that she’s come back well from the little break that we gave her, so it was good to see her finish that way. She already has a mile and an eighth win at Aqueduct, so it should suit her well.”

Pletcher said the talented bay has benefitted from her time away from the races.

“She just got a little bit light and needed a little bit of time, and I think it paid off,” Pletcher said. “She’s gained weight and looks really good.”

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown sends out a pair of contenders in Klaravich Stables’ Headline Numbers [post 7, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] and Pretty Ana [post 4, Dylan Davis].

The undefeated Headline Numbers, whose two starts have both come against elders, enters on the heels of a nine-furlong optional claiming effort in August at Saratoga Race Course that saw her cross the finish line a half-length back of Camera, but was elevated to victory after a stewards’ inquiry ruled Camera impeded another rival at the top of the stretch.

The daughter of Gun Runner was impressive in her July debut here, romping by 11 3/4 lengths under Flavien Prat in a one-mile maiden when closing strongly from sixth-of-7 to sail clear in the stretch.

A $325,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Headline Numbers is from the family of multiple graded stakes-winner Curlin’s Approval.

Three Chimneys Farm’s Kentucky homebred Pretty Ana makes her stakes debut off a close third-place finish against elders in a local 1 3/16-mile optional claimer on September 20. There, she stalked and pounced to challenge for the lead near the three-quarters call, but could not get past stubborn pacesetter No Mo Candy and was defeated three-quarter lengths while headed out of place by Dancing Dean.

Pretty Ana, who made her first five outings for Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen, is by Quality Road and out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Quiet Giant, making her a half-sister to Hall of Famer Gun Runner. Her lone win in seven outings came in a second-out graduation going 1 1/16 miles in February at Fair Grounds.

Completing the field are the graded stakes-placed Call Another Play [post 2, Javier Castellano] for trainer Michael Trombetta, and allowance-level winners Dorothy’s Dreams [post 1, Keiber Coa] for conditioner Anthony Ferraro and the Linda Rice-trained Just Music [post 8, Eric Cancel].

The Mother Goose [Race 10] is one of three graded stakes slated for Saturday’s 11-race card, which also features the Grade 3, $250,000 Forty Niner in Race 8 and the Grade 3, $175,000 Bold Ruler in Race 7. First post is 12:10 p.m. Eastern.

America’s Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Belmont at the Big A fall meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule/.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont at the Big A, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.