NEWS
Internallyflawless scores first stakes win in Del Mar Oaks
Posted: Saturday, August 22, 2009 8:56 PM
INTERNALLYFLAWLESS TAKES COMMAND LATE AT DEL MAR
Benoit & Associates photo
To view a video replay of the Del Mar Oaks, click here.
by Mike Curry
Internallyflawless got the jump on her challengers in the Del Mar Oaks (G1) on Saturday and would not be denied her first career stakes victory.
Charles Fipke’s homebred Giant’s Causeway filly overhauled fading pacesetter Donttellmewhattodo on the far turn and shook clear in the stretch. Grade 2-placed winner Nan and Honeymoon Handicap (G2) winner Well Monied unleashed their bids in the stretch, but Internallyflawless had plenty of stamina in reserve after a perfectly executed ride by Garrett Gomez. She completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.46 on firm turf to prevail by a half-length for trainer Bob Baffert.
“[Jockey Garrett Gomez] was the difference today. He gave her a perfect ride,” Baffert said. “He had her in good position all the way and when the rest of the field started to panic at the three-eighths pole, he stayed with the plan and then got the jump on the rest of them.”
Internallyflawless showed promise as a two-year-old for Baffert, winning a maiden special weight race by a length on the grass at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park in September and following with a runner-up finish in the Miesque Stakes (G3) on the Hollywood Park turf course in November.
After a last-place finish in the Blue Norther Stakes in December at Santa Anita, Baffert gave her some time off. She returned on August 1 at Del Mar with a fourth-place finish, beaten by 1 1/4 lengths in the San Clemente Handicap (G2), a race that set her up ideally for the Del Mar Oaks.
"We didn't push on her too hard the other day. She was coming off that layoff and we let her ease back into it,” Gomez said. “I was hoping she would jump out of there today and put me in the right spot. I wanted her to help me and she did. I could tell the way the race was unfolding that it was just right.”
Internallyflawless stalked Donttellmewhattodo from second through an easy half-mile in :49.31 and moved up on the final turn. She surged past the fading pacesetter entering the stretch with Well Monied steadily advancing on the outside and Nan launching her bid from along the rail after splitting foes.
Internallyflawless spurted away entering the stretch and comfortably held off runner-up Nan and 11-to-10 favorite Well Monied to land her first stakes win. She improved to two wins in six starts and bolstered her bankroll to $267,400 with the $210,000 winner’s share.
Nan finished one length clear of Well Monied, who edged Hameildaeme (GB) by a head for third. Donttellmewhattodo faded to finish last in the ten-horse field.
Kentucky-bred Internallyflawless is out of the Seeking the Gold mare Tapatina, a half sister to 1996 European champion three-year-old filly Bosra Sham and French classic winners and sires Hector Protector and Shanghai.
"Chuck Fipke has been very patient with this filly. He let me bring her along the way I thought she should be trained, and she rewarded us with a Grade 1 win,” said Baffert, who will point her to the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1). “The program is to win a Grade 1 and we did it here. This filly has always had a lot of talent.”
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
