Why We Are Where We Are, Part III: Blessed Are The Survivors

A filly who failed to find a bidder as a yearling and landed a Gowran Park maiden on 3-year-old debut at 40-1 became a new 'TDN Rising Star' at Santa Anita on St. Patrick's Day, fittingly enough, as Raw Ability (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) ran her stateside record to two wins from as many starts and won for the third time in three career appearances...

A filly who failed to find a bidder as a yearling and landed a Gowran Park maiden on 3-year-old debut at 40-1 became a new 'TDN Rising Star' at Santa Anita on St. Patrick's Day, fittingly enough, as Raw Ability (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) ran her stateside record to two wins from as many starts and won for the third time in three career appearances. Friendless in the markets when unveiled by Limerick trainer Eric McNamara over a mile at the Irish venue last June 3, the bay–who was bought back for the upset price of €1,000 as a yearling at Goffs in November 2022–next found herself going through the boutique Goffs London Sale on the eve of Royal Ascot last June. Snapped up by Shawn Dugan for a hefty-enough £140,000, she made the trip stateside and was the 12-5 favorite for a one-mile test at Del Mar Sept. 2. Off slowly and a detached last, she was nevertheless patiently handled by Hector Berrios but flew home once switched out in the lane and attacked the line to score–from an unlikely position–by a half-length. Arguably over the odds in her 4-year-old debut at 23-10, the attractive bay filly left the gate running this time around and found herself chasing the commonly owned Kitty Katana (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) through moderate fractions. Gliding along at her stablemate's saddle towel and poised nearing the stretch, she was held together into the final three-sixteenths of a mile and whooshed home in the same fashion she did six months ago to score cozily. Favored Sareeha (Ire) (Shamardal)–in for the $80,000–enjoyed the run of the race from the box seat and was pulled out three wide at the head of the lane with every chance, but was outsprinted to the wire. Raw Ability, the first 'TDN Rising Star' for her sire (by Lope de Vega {Ire}), covered her final quarter mile in :22 and some change, with a final furlong in a very slick :11.09. Belardo is the sire of eight U.S. winners from nine to race, headed by this circuit's teak-tough Gold Phoenix (Ire), winner of the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile at this track. Behind Raw Ability is a 3-year-old filly by Buratino (Ire) and a juvenile filly by Raven's Pass.