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 Monday, March 10, 2008

  Santa Anita, Race 4, Msw, 50,000, 4yo/up, f/m, a61/2fT, 1:12 3/5, fm

  Gentle Gale, F, 4, by Storm Cat

1st Dam: Ascutney (GSW, $188,129), by Lord At War (Arg)

2nd Dam: Right Word, by Verbatim

3rd Dam: Oratorio, by Fleet Nasrullah

A half-sister to Stonerside’s Classic hopeful Raven’s Pass (Elusive Quality), GSW & G1SP-GB, $133,781, Gentle Gale posted an eye-catching victory in this turf bow. The dark bay debuted with a third on Santa Anita’s Cushion Track Feb. 13, and was bet down to 7-5 favoritism here. While she was extremely reluctant to load--holding up the start for several minutes as several gate crew workers got behind her--the Stonerside homebred came away alertly under Rafael Bejarano. She stalked the :43.53 pace down the hill, seized command in the lane and shifted gears quickly to graduate by 4 1/2 lengths. European import Luck Be a Lady (Ire) (Alhaarth {Ire}) completed the exacta. The winner is also a half to Gigawatt (Wild Again), GSW, $512,640. She has a two-year-old full sister named Cloudspin; Ascutney, after aborting to Storm Cat for 2007 and coming up barren to Elusive Quality for 2008, has been bred back to that son of Gone West this season. The 14-year-old mare is a full sister to the dam of E Dubai. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $34,560.

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O: Stonerside Stable | B: Stonerside Stable (KY) | T: Robert J Frankel