By Steve Sherack
Ground Support (Army Mule), last seen finishing a fantastic third in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar Oct. 31, will launch her sophomore campaign in Saturday's $275,000 Tepin Stakes on the Stephen Foster program at Churchill Downs.
She's breezed 10 times at trainer Kelsey Danner's Turfway Park base for her return, headed by a four-furlong bullet from the gate in :46.80 (1/33) June 11.
“She's been training well,” Danner said. “She's gotten huge. She was big last year and she's a lot bigger this year. But she's doing really well. It's nice to have her back. Hopefully, she can have a nice summer campaign. Obviously, Kentucky Downs would be the target.”
A debut winner at 100-1 at Kentucky Downs last summer, Ground Support followed with a front-running, 12-1 upset in the 'Win and You're In' GII Miss Grillo S. at the Big A Oct. 4. She was beaten only 1 1/4 lengths by Balantina (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) after leading in the stretch at 24-1 at the Championships. She was just tagged by a head by Pacific Mission (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) for runner-up honors.
Ground Support will meet 10 rivals in the Tepin going a mile over the Churchill lawn. Regular rider Adam Beschizza will be in the irons. She is the 3-1 morning-line favorite.
“It was very exciting,” Danner reflected of the Breeders' Cup. “She's a tough filly. You can't complain. She runs hard every time.”
Ground Support, bred in Florida by Champion Equine, LLC, brought $80,000 from John Ballantyne's NBS Stables as a Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-year-old in training. She previously RNA'd for $90,000 at OBS March. One of four graded winners for Army Mule, Ground Support was produced by 2010 Miss Grillo runner-up Arch Support (Arch).
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