TDN RISING STARS

March 10, 2024 - Gulfstream Park, Race 10, Msw, USD $89,000, 1M

Sweet Rebecca, F, 3, 2021 by American Pharoah

1st Dam: Sweet n Discreet, by Discreet Cat
2nd Dam: West Side Dancer, by Gone West
3rd Dam: Bering Cruise, by Danzig

Owner: Michael J. Ryan and Mt. Brilliant Farm LLC
Breeder: Mt. Brilliant Farm & Ranch, LLC (KY)
Trainer: Brendan P. Walsh

She made it harder than it needed to be but Sweet Rebecca (American Pharoah) got it done on debut Sunday at Gulfstream to become the newest 'TDN Rising Star'. Although she broke with the field, movement to her inside forced the 3-1 shot to check the brakes and she quickly fell to the read of the pack passing the wire for the first time. Clearly unhappy with her position, the Brendan Walsh trainee began tossing her head, fighting the restraint of jockey Tyler Gaffalione as they were forced wide onto the backstretch. Racing outside of Past Tense (Ghostzapper) as the half went in :48.44, Sweet Rebecca continued to tug and Gaffalione let her follow the move of Past Tense as that rival began to make a bid on the leading back around the far turn. Swung off the rail to be five wide with a quarter to run, she let loose with clear running room and easily drove past race favorite Last Episode (Into Mischief) to win going away.

Bet down from her 8-1 morning line, Sweet Rebecca is the sixth 'TDN Rising Star' for her Triple Crown-winning sire and a full-sister to MGSW/GISP Sweet Melania. Stakes winner Sweet N Discreet, herself a full-sister to GSW/GISP Discreet Dancer and a half to GSW Travelin Man (Trippi), first warranted $1.1m at FTKNOV in 2011 before selling to Mt. Brilliant Farm at the same sale in 2019 on a final bid of $1.6m.