Woodbine: Creed’s Gold has stakes breakthrough in Hendrie

Creed’s Gold struck stakes gold in the Grade 3, US$114,685 Hendrie Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong, synthetic-track sprint for eight fillies and mares Saturday at Woodbine.

Trained by Mark Casse, Creed’s Gold is a 4-year-old daughter of Jimmy Creed out of Fairbanks mare Foxyfromfairbanks. She earned her first stakes victory in impressive fashion for owner Kristin Meldahl.

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It was a multi-horse scramble for the lead with Creed’s Gold, at 9-2, emerging in front followed by stablemates Run for the Hills and Ticker Tape Home after an opening quarter in 22.85 seconds.

The chestnut filly continued to call the shots through a half-mile in 45.34 seconds. Run for the Hills and Ticker Tape Home ratcheted up the pressure into the turn for home while Nice as Pie skimmed the rail looking to get into contention.

Creed’s Gold shook off the challenges of her stablemates and began to separate herself from her pursuers midway down the homestretch. With less than a furlong to go, Creed’s Gold widened her advantage at will under steady urging from Rafael Hernández, going on to record a 3 3/4-length score with a time of 1:15.54. Ticker Tape Home was second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Nice as Pie. Ms. Tart was fourth.

“I looked at the form, and I definitely wanted to get out of there running,” Hernández said. “If she did let me get the lead, I was definitely going to get it and try to control the pace. I was able to break out of the gate and put her in a good position.

“I just tried to get a jump before the other horses (at the top of the stretch). I know we got a couple horses, especially the (Miguel) Clément horse (defending Hendrie winner Gal in a Rush), who was going to finish running, so I made sure get the jump before him.”

After a pair of sixth-place finishes to begin her career at Gulfstream Park in 2024, Creed’s Gold broke her maiden there that March in a one-mile turf dash.

She came into the Hendrie off a seventh-place finish, four lengths behind the winner Pipsy in the Intercontinental Stakes (G2) at Saratoga on June 5.

With Saturday’s win, Creed’s Gold is 11: 4-2-2. She was third in last year’s Alywow Stakes at Woodbine.

Bred in Kentucky by Linda Griggs, Creed’s Gold was a $25,000 purchase at the September 2022 Keeneland yearling sale. 

She paid $11.20 for Saturday’s win.