NEWS
Ginger Punch wins stretch duel in tough Distaff
Posted: Saturday, October 27, 2007 6:24 PM
GINGER PUNCH (inside)
Photo by Z/Matt Barton
by Tom De Martini
Stronach Stables’ multiple Grade 1 winner Ginger Punch emerged with a hard-fought neck victory following a stretch-long duel with Hystericalady in the $2,070,160 Emirates Airlines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) Saturday at Monmouth Park, covering 1 1/8 miles on a sloppy track in 1:50.11.
Owner-breeder Frank Stronach paid $180,000 to supplement the four-year-old Florida-bred Awesome Again filly into the Distaff and came away with a $1,220,400 payday.
“In hindsight, there was no hesitation to supplement her,” Stronach said. “You have a little bit of doubt about laying out the money, but [trainer Bobby Frankel] said he felt good about the filly and I don’t second guess him.”
Frankel did not attend the Breeders’ Cup card, opting to stay at home with his sick dog.
Ginger Punch reeled off three consecutive graded stakes wins this summer, annexing the First Flight Handicap (G2) on July 8 at Belmont Park, the Go For Wand Handicap (G1) at Saratoga Race Course on July 28, and the Ruffian Handicap (G1) on September 8 at Belmont.
The filly’s final prep was a third-place showing to Grade 1 winner Unbridled Belle and Grade 2 winner Indian Vale in the Beldame Stakes (G1) on September 30 at Belmont Park.
Ginger Punch, sent off at odds of 9-to-2, and Hystericalady, at 9.20-to-1, stalked Fitz Dixon Cotillion Invitational Handicap (G2) winner Bear Now, who led the 12-horse field through a half-mile in :46.64.
Hystericalady and Ginger Punch turned for home together and dueled stride-for-stride through the final furlong with jockey Rafael Bejarano and Ginger Punch being squeezed on the inside by Eddie Castro and Hystericalady.
“I saw a lot of speed on the upside, so the best I could do was stay clear and keep dirt out of the face,” Bejarano said. “When we got to the three-eighths, [Hystericalady] was in the third lane and I was in the first. When he saw me, he tried to push me into the rail and intimidate me.”
Despite the bumping, Bejarano and Ginger Punch pulled ahead in the final strides and bested Hystericalady by a neck. Octave was another neck back in third.
Out of the Bold Revenue mare Nappelon, Ginger Punch won for the seventh time in 14 starts and improved her earnings to $1,901,679.
Stronach said he was not sure whether Ginger Punch will race as a five-year-old or move to the breeding shed.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Tom De Martini is a New Jersey-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent
