MOTHER GOOSE (G1) RECAP: Saturday, June 26, 2010

Mother Goose (G1) Recap: Saturday, June 26, 2010

 

 

DEVIL MAY CARE GIVES PLETCHER GRADE 1 GIFT IN MOTHER GOOSE

 

By Jon Forbes

 

ELMONT, N.Y. – Making her first start since finishing 10^th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, Devil May Care stalked the pace and held sway in the stretch to take the 54^th running of the Grade 1, $250,000 Mother Goose for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday at Belmont Park. Her win gave trainer Todd Pletcher the perfect gift on his 43^rd birthday.

 

Heroine of the Grade 1 Frizette at Belmont as a 2-year-old, Devil May Care rebounded from a fifth-place finish in the Grade 3 Silverbulletday at the Fair Grounds in her sophomore debut to draw off to a 2¾-length victory in the Grade 2 Bonnie Miss at Gulfstream Park in her final start prior to the Derby.

 

Devil May Care settled in third up the backstretch in the Mother Goose as Katy Now carved honest fractions of 22.81 and 45.59, with Connie and Michael pressing the leader in second. After claiming the lead at the top of the stretch as the early leaders began to fade, Devil May Care needed only hand urging in the stretch to defeat a resurgent Connie and Michael by 1¼ lengths.

 

"She broke a little sharp today, a little close to the pace," said winning jockey John Velazquez. "I didn't want to be that close to the pace, but with blinkers on, she was very aggressive. I had to play with her down the backstretch, give and take a little bit. Down the lane, I let her do her thing, she took the lead, and it was good enough today." 

 

Biofuel, who loomed menacingly on the outside with a furlong left, finished one length behind Connie and Michael in third. Katy Now and Ailalea, both trained by Pletcher, completed the order of finish.

 

Bred in Kentucky by Diamond A. Racing Corp., Devil May Care earned $150,000 and returned $3.90 for a $2 win wager as the 4-5 favorite. The daughter of Malibu Moon sports a record of 4-0-0 from seven starts and has earned $549,000 to date for owner Glencrest Farm.

 

The Grade 1 Betfair TVG Coaching Club American Oaks on July 31 and Grade 1 Betfair TVG Alabama on August 21, both to be run at Saratoga, are on the agenda for Devil May Care, according to Pletcher.

 

"It was a big race from her, and I've always felt she was the best filly in her generation," said Pletcher. "She had shown us every sign that she was as good as she had ever been. She trained brilliantly, like she always does. Aside from losing a little bit of weight in the Derby like most horses, colts or fillies, will do, she came out of it really well. It was just a matter of making sure we gave her the proper time."

 

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