Following Red Ruby, Gorder sees shades of gray with new filly

The best horse in trainer Kellyn Gorder’s barn last year at Oaklawn was Red Ruby, a gray daughter of Tiznow who won the $122,500 Martha Washington Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

Gorder returns to Hot Springs with another promising gray 3-year-old filly in Cairo Cutie, second to Grandaria in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weights event Nov. 24 at Churchill Downs in her second career start.

“She’s my big hope this year,” Gorder said. “She was a real good second and the winner came back and romped in a really good race at the Fair Grounds. She’s my hope.”

Cairo Cutie, who is by Cairo Prince, breezed three times at Keeneland after her last start. She arrived in Hot Springs earlier this month.

As for Red Ruby, Gorder said she is training at WinStar Farm in Kentucky and the hope is to have her at Oaklawn in about a month.

In addition to Oaklawn's Martha Washington, Red Ruby recorded blowout victories in the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) May 18 at Pimlico and $300,000 Delaware Oaks (G3) July 7 at Delaware Park before being shelved for the remainder of the year with a couple of minor physical setbacks, Gorder said.

“I went out and saw her the other day and she looked really good,” Gorder said.