Gulfstream: Red Carpet Ready is 3-for-3, wins Forward Gal

Red Carpet Ready, unbeaten in her first two starts for Ashbrook Farm and Upland Flats Racing, stepped up to graded company and kept her perfect record intact with a dominating victory in Saturday’s Grade 3, $125,000 Forward Gal at Gulfstream Park.

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Ridden by jockey Luis Saez for trainer Rusty Arnold, Red Carpet Ready ($6.60) broke running outside all but two rivals in the field of nine going seven furlongs. She quickly settled in fourth. Twice as Sweet, winner of the Smart Halo last fall at Laurel Park, and Arella Star dueled through a quarter-mile in 22.78 seconds.

Saez kept Red Carpet Ready in the clear and ranged up on front-running Twice as Sweet midway around the far turn as the half went in 45.98 seconds. Undervalued Asset made a run at Red Carpet Ready at the top of the stretch, but the winner had plenty left in reserve and sprinted clear.

“She’s answered the bell every time we’ve run her,” Arnold said. “She’s pretty special. I’d be shocked if she doesn’t go long. I was more worried that she wasn’t a sprinter.”

Undervalued Asset held second ahead of late-running, multiple stakes winner Atomically. Positano Sunset, Apropos, Flakes, Twice as Sweet, Arella Star and Adeliese’s Smile completed the order of finish. Lynx was scratched.

Red Carpet Ready debuted last October with a gate-to-wire, 10-length maiden triumph sprinting six furlongs at Churchill Downs, where she followed up with a 3 1/4-length victory in the 6 1/2-furlong Fern Creek to cap her juvenile season.