CAIRO CONSORT, a contender for Champion 2-year-old filly in Canada for 2022, won her sophomore debut and first start for new interests in the $100,000 Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. The Woodbine stakes winner who was third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland in November for trainer Nathan Squires is now owned by Repole Stable and Town and Country Racing who purchased the grey Kentucky-bred for $875,000 at The November Sale at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky after the Breeders’ Cup.
Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, both named Saturday as Eclipse Award finalists for 2022, Cairo Consort ($3) completed the distance in 1:35.80 over a firm turf course as the 1-2 favorite.
“Everything we had done with her had been on the dirt, so we were kind of knowing we have a turf filly and watching her train on the dirt,” Pletcher said. “She trains fine on the dirt, but clearly she’s better on the turf. I felt like we had her ready enough to go and we didn’t want to overdo it. It’s the first race of the year, and we were happy with the outcome.”
Reluctant to load in the starting gate, Cairo Consort broke well and raced in fourth as 40-1 long shot Showgirl Lynne B, a stakes winner on the Tapeta last summer at Gulfstream, was in front from the rail through splits of 23.15 and 47.75 seconds pressed by Erna, making her stakes debut, and Isabel Alexandra.
“I could tell when she came to the paddock she was on her toes a little bit, but we’ve done some work with her at the gate in the mornings. We’ve seen a hint of that, but not that, so we’ll have to work on that a little more,” Pletcher said.
“You hate to see one get fractious behind the gate like that, but once she got in the gate she stood nicely and broke well and kind of got in the position that Irad and I talked about her getting to,” he added. “It was a pretty smooth trip from there.”
Cairo Consort, kept in the clear by Ortiz, began to range up to the leaders around the turn on the outside but still had work to do once straightened for home with Erna having inherited the top spot. Set down for a drive, the Cairo Prince filly reeled in Erna inside the eighth pole and surged again when Stephanie’s Charm, sent off at 11-1, came with her bid.
“It was a perfect trip,” Ortiz said. “She was close to the leaders and then a took a hold and she relaxed real well behind horses. At the three-eighths pole I asked her to start going forward and she did. She responded every time I asked her. Turning for home, she opened up by a half-length and then when she felt the horse outside, she was there. She had a little more in the tank.”
Cairo Consort crossed the wire a half-length ahead of Stephanie’s Charm, with Navy Goat another 1 ¼ lengths back in third. Erna held on by a neck over Isabel Alexandra for fourth, and they were followed by Showgirl Lynne B, Lady Azteca and Bel Pensiero. Anna Karenine was scratched.
“It was interesting talking to Irad afterward. He said he felt like he had a lot more horse and she kind of idled a little bit when she made the lead,” Pletcher said. “When that horse came to her she had a little more.”
Next up for 3-year-old fillies on the grass at Gulfstream is the $175,000 Sweetest Chant (G3) going 1 1/16 miles Feb. 4.
“They have a nice series here so we’ll probably look at the next one,” Pletcher said. “We’ll see. We can always skip one and go to the next one. We’ll play it by ear and see how she comes out of it.”
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Woodbine trainers MIKE DEPAULO and BILL THARRENOS had wins on January 7 at Gulfstream. GLORIOUS TRIBUTE, an Ontario-bred by Congrats – Clare’s Bernardine by Action This Day, won for $8,000 claiming, his second career victory for DePaulo and Frank Russo. Irad Ortiz was aboard the 6-year-old who was odds-on in his Gulfstream debut.
Tharrenos sent out his 5-year-old FREE SHIPPING to win his maiden in his 24th career start in a $12,500 claiming race in race 3.
MIKE WRIGHT won his second race of the Tampa Bay Downs meeting when PINO AND A PURSE won at 9 to 1 on Sunday, January 8 and NORM MCKNIGHT sent out CARPE HORSESHOE to win a $10,000 claiming race at Oaklawn Park on Jan. 6 by 6 lengths. The 5-year-old Ontario bred by Carpe Diem was claimed by Steve Asmussen.
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