Eskenformoney Wins First Stakes Race in Rampart
Unhurried early behind dueling favorites Curlin’s Approval and Genre, StarLadies Racing’s Eskenformoney slingshot past the leaders in mid-stretch and went on to earn her elusive first graded stakes victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Rampart (G3) at Gulfstream Park.
The 41st running of the one-mile Rampart was the second of five stakes, three of them graded, worth $500,000 in purses on an 11-race program highlighted by the $100,000 Harlan’s Holiday (G3), which served this year as a prep for the $12 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) Jan. 28.
Eskenformoney ($13.20), a 4-year-old daughter of Grade 1 winner Eskendereya, had finished second or third four times in eight previous graded stakes attempts, including a neck loss to Todd Pletcher-trained stablemate Genre in the Molly Pitcher (G3) in July.
As a sophomore during the 2014-15 Championship Meet at Gulfstream, Eskenformoney broke her maiden and won a subsequent allowance before finishing third in the Davona Dale (G2) and second in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2).
“It’s nice to see her get that [graded win]. She deserved it. She had knocked on the door several times this summer and had just missed and as a 3-year-old, as well,” Pletcher said. “She seems to like Gulfstream. She’s always consistently run well here and it’s good to see her pick up a graded win.”
Curlin’s Approval, favored in the field of seven at 1-2, broke sharply and blazed through fractions of 23.53 seconds for a quarter-mile, 45.64 for the half and 1:09.71 along the rail while alternating for the lead with Genre, ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, to her outside.
Javier Castellano tracked the front-runners in third on Eskendereya, swung three wide approaching the stretch and steadily wore down the leaders, surging in the final eighth of a mile to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:35.47 over a fast main track.
“It worked out perfectly,” Castellano said. “The thing was the post position. I had a great post. I was able to stalk behind the speed. It worked out great today.”
Curlin’s Approval, racing for the first time beyond seven furlongs in her second straight graded stakes start, was 1 ½ lengths better than Genre in third. They were followed under the line by Caboclo do Rio, Tormenta de Oro, Screaming Skylar and Inside Out.
It was the third Rampart win for Castellano following House Rules (2015) and Spring Waltz (2008). Pletcher won the Rampart with Ciao Bella (2013), Awesome Maria (2011-12) and Oonagh Maccool (2006).
“Talking to Johnny and Javier before the race, we said it looks like you want to be involved early so the strategy was to come out running with both of them. I think Genre just showed a little more natural speed,” Pletcher said. “Javier made a conscious effort to try to stay as close as he could and was kind of pecking at [Curlin’s Approval] down the backside to maintain that position and it worked out.”
Source: Gulfstream Park