Bushranger Mare Gets the Bob to Upend Gamely

Sophie P | Benoit

DP Racing's Sophie P (Bushranger {Ire}) pulled off an upset in the GI Gamely S. by a nostril over Madam Dancealot (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) in the tightest of photo finishes. The 14-1 shot raced in a joint third early as Madame Stripes (Arg) (Equal Stripes {Arg}) ticked off an opening quarter in :23.92 and pulled well clear of her competition through a half in :47.24. Sophie P advanced up the fence to close in on the leader with three-eighths left to run. Madame Stripes tried to go on with it in the lane, but was swarmed by Sophie P to her outside and Madam Dancealot to her inside. Those rivals edged clear of the pacesetter in the final strides, hitting the line together in a very tight photo, with Sophie P getting the bob.

“I really wasn't sure if we got the bob, but if I had to bet on it, I would have said 'no,'” said trainer Jim Cassidy. “If they put up 'dead heat,' I would not have been surprised. I was thinking Kent [Desormeaux]'s a great rider as I watched the stretch. He put her in the right position and didn't let anybody get clear.”

Previously campaigned in England with trainer R. Michael Smith, Sophie P won four of her 19 starts overseas and hit the board on six other occasions. She closed out 2017 with a pair of victories in Musselburgh handicaps Oct. 1 and again just eight days later Oct. 9, after which she was purchased by Gordian Troeller for 160,000gns at the Tattersalls December sale and transferred to Cassidy.

Pedigree Notes:

Sophie P is the sixth graded winner and 11th black-type winner for her sire Bushranger. Her dam Fountains Abbey has produced just one foal since the winner, a 4-year-old filly named Frankie Cloud (GB) (Zebedee {GB}). She hails from the family of champion grass mare Flawlessly (Affirmed), German and French Highweight Signs of Blessing (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Group 1 winner Nadia (GB) (Nashwan).

Saturday, Santa Anita
GAMELY S.-GI, $300,690, Santa Anita, 5-26, 3yo/up, f/m,
1 1/8mT, 1:48.53, fm.
1–SOPHIE P (GB), 121, m, 5, by Bushranger (Ire)
1st Dam: Fountains Abbey, by Giant's Causeway
2nd Dam: Dream Bay, by Mr. Prospector
3rd Dam: Nazoo (Ire), by Nijinsky II
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
WIN. (160,000gns 4yo '17 TATMA). O-D P Racing; B-New Hall
Stud (GB); T-James M. Cassidy; J-Kent J. Desormeaux.
$180,000. Lifetime Record: SP-Eng, 21-5-5-1, $256,570.
Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. [bullet ad=”mersant-international”][bullet ad=”gordian-troeller-dp-racing-purchase”]2–Madam Dancealot (Ire), 123, f, 4, by Sir Prancealot (Ire)
1st Dam: Sisal (Ire), by Danehill
2nd Dam: Ship's Twine (Ire), by Slip Anchor (GB)
3rd Dam: Twine (Ire), by Thatching (Ire)
(4,761gns RNA 2yo '16 TATABR; £100,000 2yo '16 GOFLON;
€260,000 2yo '16 GOFFCH). O-Slam Dunk Racing; B-Tally Ho
Stud (IRE); T-Richard Baltas. $60,000.[bullet ad=”kern-lillingston-purchasedasahorseintraining”]3–Madame Stripes (Arg), 121, m, 6, by Equal Stripes (Arg)
1st Dam: Courtisane (Arg), by Silver Finder
2nd Dam: Compagne (Arg), by Payant (Arg)
3rd Dam: Celine (Arg), by Lefty
O-Gainesway Stable; B-Alvarez, Gustavo Javier (ARG); T-Neil D.
Drysdale. $36,000.
Margins: NO, NK, 1 3/4. Odds: 14.00, 4.20, 10.90.
Also Ran: Beau Recall (Ire), Hawksmoor (Ire), Midnight Crossing (Ire), Mopotism. Scratched: Uni (GB).
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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