Graded stakes likely next for Millions Distaff champ Wildwood's Beauty
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Photo:
Ryan Thompson Photo
Nearly a year to the day since her debut victory over the same surface, William Stiritz’s Wildwood’s Beauty kept her perfect record intact at both the track and distance with a 1 ¾-length triumph in Saturday’s $75,000 Millions Distaff at Gulfstream Park West.
The seven-furlong Distaff for fillies and mares 3 and up was the second of nine stakes worth $675,000 in purses on an 11-race Sunshine Millions Preview program that serves as a prelude to Sunshine Millions Day Jan. 18 at Gulfstream Park.
Sent off as the even-money favorite in a field of six that included two-time Princess Rooney (G2) winner Stormy Embrace, Wildwood’s Beauty ($4) completed the distance in 1:22.33 over a fast main track for her fourth career stakes victory.
It was also the second straight win over Stormy Embrace for 3-year-old Wildwood’s Beauty, who posted a 20-1 upset of the Sheer Drama Sept. 7 at Gulfstream, also over her elders. Samy Camacho was aboard for both wins.
“The race pretty much played out the way we thought it would,” winning trainer Scott Becker said. “Samy was just trying to save ground and wait for the right spot to make his move, and I think he did a fabulous job.”
Liza Star, a winner of five straight races by 21 ½ combined lengths, dueled with Sheer Drama runner-up Heiressall, third in last year’s Distaff, through fractions of 22.91 and 45.93 seconds, as Wildwood’s Beauty settled in third on the inside from her rail post and Stormy Embrace to her outside.
“I’ve known this filly for a long time, since she was baby. The last two times she ran against fillies she won,” Camacho said. “Last time she finished second against boys. This race I just wanted to break good and relax her. When I saw the two horses break faster than her, I wanted to take her back and save ground until it was time to go. At the three-eighths pole I put her in the clear and the race was over. “
Heiressall snatched the lead from Liza Star once straightened for home chased by Wildwood’s Beauty, who Camacho angled from the inside to the center of the track for a drive to the wire. Heiressall held second, followed by Liza Star, Stormy Embrace, Motion’s First and Suzie’ssteppinout.
“The outside horse floated out some, so he went in for a minute and then got back out, but it all worked out,” Becker said. “She’s a very nice, quality filly. Seven furlongs, a mile, a mile and 70 [yards], she’s done everything. Now we’ll go on to the next spot.”
Wildwood’s Beauty broke her maiden last Nov. 10 at Gulfstream West, going on a pair of spring stakes wins at Tampa Bay Downs. Now 3-0 at seven-eighths, she has five wins and four seconds from 10 career starts and Becker said a graded-stakes could be next.
“I would like to and the owner would like to, yes, somewhere down the line,” he said. “It very well could be [at Gulfstream]; we just have to see how everything plays out.”
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