Ivan Dalos's Gamble's Ghost (Ghostzapper) outbattled pacesetting Caren (Society's Chairman) to take the GIII Selene S. by 1 1/4 lengths Sunday at Woodbine. The 'TDN Rising Star' broke well from her inside post, but was unhurried and settled near the back of the six-horse field as Caren took the field through fractions of :24.55 and :48.85. Gamble's Ghost made eye-catching progress turning for home and ranged up four wide into the stretch to take a narrow advantage. She looked home free, but Caren fought back gamely along the rail only to have Gamble's Ghost find a bit more late to win going away. Thrilled (Uncle Mo) was third.
“She has so much heart,” Dalos said of his homebred filly. “Her dam was a wonderful mare and she got that from her.”
Trainer Josie Carroll is also impressed with how Gamble's Ghost, winner of last year's GIII Mazarine S., has matured. “She's a very elegant filly,” Carroll said. “She filled out. She didn't get real tall, but she has a nice shape to her.”
Gamble's Ghost earned 'TDN Rising Star' status when she romped home by 8 1/4 lengths in her debut over the Woodbine main track last August. Switched to the turf, the dark bay filly finished second behind Canadian Horse of the Year Catch a Glimpse (City Zip) in the Sept. 12 GII Natalma S. before winning the Oct. 4 GIII Mazarine S. over the synthetic surface. She concluded her juvenile campaign with a runner-up effort behind Caren in the Nov. 1 Princess Elizabeth S. In her only previous 2016 outing, Gamble's Ghost was a close-up sixth, beaten two lengths, over the turf in the Mar. 12 GIII Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs.
“It was a better race than it looked,” Carroll said of Gamble's Ghost's Florida Oaks effort. “She left the gate and slipped a little in behind and it took her a little while to get rolling after that. I think it's a much better race than it looks on paper.”
Ivan Dalos's Tall Oaks Farms purchased the winner's dam, Gambling Girl, for $8,029 as a yearling out of the 1994 CBS September sale. Winner of the 1996 La Prevoyante S., the mare produced a filly by Scat Daddy in 2015 and was bred back to Afleet Alex.
Sunday, Woodbine
SELENE S.-GIII, C$174,600, WO, 5-15, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m (AWT), 1:45.05, ft.
1–GAMBLE'S GHOST, 121, f, 3, by Ghostzapper">Ghostzapper
1st Dam: Gambling Girl (SW, $209,073), by Secret Claim
2nd Dam: Dawn's Deputy, by Deputy Minister
3rd Dam: Ivory Dawn, by Sir Ivor
'TDN Rising Star' O-Ivan Dalos; B-Tall Oaks Farm (ON); T-Josie
Carroll; J-Luis Contreras. C$108,000. Lifetime Record: 6-3-2-0,
$273,829. *1/2 to Purrfect Bluff (Lion Heart), MSP,
$368,944. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A.
[bullet ad=”webb-carroll-another-wctc-grad”][bullet ad=”ontario-bred”]2–Caren, 121, f, 3, Society's Chairman–Jo Zak, by Vilzak.
($45,000 Ylg '14 FTKOCT). O-Robert Marzilli; B-James A.
& Janeane A. Everatt & J. Arika Everatt – Meeuse (ON);
T-Michael P. De Paulo. C$37,800.
[bullet ad=”ontario-bred”]3–Thrilled, 121, f, 3, Uncle Mo–Excited, by Giant's Causeway.
O-Michael B. Tabor; B-Chelston (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.
C$16,500.
Margins: 1 1/4, 3 1/4, 2 3/4. Odds: 2.45, 5.30, 1.00.
Also Ran: Treasuring, Inconclusive, Niigon's Legacy. Scratched: Luckbe Tanya.
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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