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Gamine (horse)

Gamine
SireInto Mischief
GrandsireHarlan's Holiday
DamPeggy Jane
DamsireKafwain
SexMare
Foaled2017
CountryUnited States
ColorBay
BreederGrace Thoroughbred Holdings LLC
OwnerMichael Lund Petersen
TrainerBob Baffert
Record11:9-0-1
Earnings$1,771,500
Major wins
Acorn Stakes (2020)
Test Stakes (2020)
Las Flores Stakes (2021)
Derby City Distaff Stakes (2021)
Great Lady M. Stakes (2021)
Ballerina Handicap (2021)

Breeders' Cup wins:
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (2020)

Awards
American Champion Female Sprint Horse (2020)
Last updated on 7 November 2021

Gamine (foaled February 16, 2017) is a multiple graded stakes-winning American Thoroughbred racehorse. She has won nine races from eleven career starts, including the 2020 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint and four other Grade One events. She was named 2020's champion female sprinter.

Background

Gamine is the daughter of 2007 Los Alamitos Futurity champion, Into Mischief and non-stakes winner, Peggy Jane. She was purchased as a yearling for $220,000 in 2018. The following year she was sold for $1,800,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year Olds sale.[1]

Racing career

2020: Three-year-old season

Gamine made her debut as a three-year-old on March 7 at Santa Anita Park in a Maiden race. She won this race by going straight to the front and winning by 6+14 lengths.

Her next race was an Allowance Optional Claiming on May 2 at Oaklawn Park. As in her last start, she went straight to the front. At the end of the race, she slowed down but won by a neck. Shortly after the race, Gamine tested positive for lidocaine. The Arkansas Derby (Div. 1) winner Charlatan also tested positive.

Bob Baffert said in a statement that he believes both horses were "unknowingly and innocently" exposed to lidocaine by one of his stable employees. The employee had broken his pelvis and was suffering from back pain in the days leading up to May 2. He applied a pain-relieving patch, which contained small amounts of lidocaine, according to Baffert's statement.

Gamine ran next in the Acorn Stakes on June 20 at Belmont Park. She ran fast fractions right from the start and opened up in the stretch to win by 18+34 lengths. She broke You's race record by 1.55 seconds and was 0.31 seconds slower than the track record. After the Acorn, Gamine became the favorite for the Kentucky Oaks and got 50 points for the 2020 Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

She was then taken to Saratoga for the Test Stakes on August 8. She won by 7 lengths and again set a stakes record.

On September 4, Gamine started at Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Oaks, where she met Alabama Stakes winner Swiss Skydiver, who was the 2nd favorite after Gamine. Again Gamine went to the front but slowed down in the stretch and was overtaken by long shot Shedaresthedevil and Swiss Skydiver. Gamine finished third. After the Kentucky Oaks, Gamine tested positive again, this time for betamethasone.

"The medication was administered to Gamine on August 17 by her veterinarian and on the veterinarian's recommendation. Importantly, the veterinarian followed established medical and regulatory guidelines in administering the medication, The withdrawal guidelines published by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission recommend that the medication not be given within 14 days of a race. In this instance, as an additional layer of protection, Gamine's veterinarian last treated her with betamethasone 18 days before the Oaks."

Gamine was disqualified to last place.

Gamine's next start came in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, which took place on November 7 at Keeneland. Her opponents included Serengeti Empress and Bell's the One. Serengeti Empress went to the front with Gamine stalking. They ran fractions of 21.77 and 44.27 through the half mile.

In the stretch, Gamine overtook Serengeti Empress to win by 6+14 lengths in a time of 1:20.20, which broke the stakes record and the track record.

Gamine was named American Champion Female Sprint Horse for 2020.

In the 2020 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, Gamine was rated 122, making her the equal twenty-first best racehorse in the world and the best three-year-old filly alongside Love and Swiss Skydiver.[2]

2021: Four-year-old season

On April 4, Gamine made her first start at age 4. She ran in the Las Flores Stakes in Santa Anita Park in preparation for the Derby City Distaff Stakes at Churchill Downs. Gamine took the lead, running fractions of 22.74 and 45.77. With John R. Velazquez aboard, she won by 5 lengths in a time of 1:09.52.

After the race, her trainer Bob Baffert said she was one of the best one-turn mares he has ever trained.

On May 1, in the Derby City Distaff Stakes at Churchill Downs, she ran against Sconsin and Bell's the One. She got off to a slow start but soon took the lead and set fractions of 23.15 and 46.08. In the stretch, Sconsin made a run at Gamine, but she held on to win by 1+12 lengths. Her final time was 1:21:50 for 7 furlongs.

The next start was the Great Lady M. Stakes, in Los Alamitos, on July 5. Gamine took the lead from the start and set fractions of 21.61 and 44.32. She won by 10 lengths in a time of 1:14.98 for 6+12 furlongs.

After that, she was brought to Saratoga for the Ballerina Handicap against a strong field. Gamine got off to a good start and set fractions of 23.20, 45.68 and 1:09.20. In the end, she won by 1+34 lengths in a time of 1:21.39.

On November 6, Gamine was a hot 2/5 odds-on favorite in her attempt to repeat winning the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Del Mar. In a five horse field Gamine started well leading through the first three furlongs but was collared on the turn and was soundly beaten into third place by Ce Ce.[3]

Racing record

Statistics
Date Race Racecourse Grade Distance Finish Margin Time Weight Odds Jockey Ref
Mar 7, 2020 Maiden Special Weight Santa Anita 6+12 furlongs 1 6+14 lengths 1:16.59 118 lbs 0.10* Drayden Van Dyke [4]
May 2, 2020 Allowance Oaklawn Park 1+116 miles 1 neck 1:41.91 119 lbs 0.60* Martin Garcia [5]
Jun 20, 2020 Acorn Stakes Belmont Park I 1 mile 1 18+34 lengths 1:32.55‡ 120 lbs 0.70* John R. Velazquez [6]
Aug 8, 2020 Test Stakes Saratoga I 7 furlongs 1 7 lengths 1:20.83‡ 123 lbs 0.30* John R. Velazquez [7]
Sep 4, 2020 Kentucky Oaks Churchill Downs I 1+18 miles 9† (2+12 lengths) 1:48.28 121 lbs 0.70* John R. Velazquez [8]
Nov 7, 2020 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Keeneland I 7 furlongs 1 6+14 lengths 1:20.20⊕ 122 lbs 1.10* John R. Velazquez [9]
Apr 4, 2021 Las Flores Stakes Santa Anita III 6 furlongs 1 5 lengths 1:09.52 124 lbs 0.05* John R. Velazquez [10]
May 1, 2021 Derby City Distaff Stakes Churchill Downs I 7 furlongs 1 1+12 lengths 1:21.50 123 lbs 0.20* John R. Velazquez [11]
Jul 5, 2021 Great Lady M. Stakes Los Alamitos II 6+12 furlongs 1 10 lengths 1:14.98 124 lbs 0.20* John R. Velazquez [12]
Aug 28, 2021 Ballerina Handicap Saratoga II 7 furlongs 1 1+34 lengths 1:21.61 126 lbs 0.35* John R. Velazquez [13]
Nov 6, 2021 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Del Mar I 7 furlongs 3 (3+14 lengths) 1:21.00 124 lbs 0.40* John R. Velazquez [3]

Notes:
† Gamine finished third but was disqualified due to a medication violation[14]
‡ Stakes record
⊕ Track Record

Retirement

Gamine's retirement from racing was announced on January 4, 2022. She will reside at Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa in Paris, Kentucky.[15]

Owner Michael Lund Petersen announced that Gamine would visit Quality Road who stands at Lane's End Farm for the 2022 breeding season.[16]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Gamine (USA), 2017[17]
Sire
Into Mischief (USA)
b. 2005
Harlan's Holiday (USA)
b. 1999
Harlan Storm Cat
Country Romance
Christmas in Aiken Affirmed
Dowager
Leslie's Lady (USA)
b. 1996
Tricky Creek Clever Trick
Battle Creek Girl
Crystal Lady Stop the Music
One Last Bird
Dam
Peggy Jane (USA)
b. 2009
Kafwain (USA)
b. 2000
Cherokee Run Runaway Groom
Cherokee Dame
Swazi's Moment Moment of Hope
Swazi Girl
Seattle Splash (USA)
b. 2003
Chief Seattle Seattle Slew
Skatingonthinice
Grand Splash Bucksplasher
Rain a Little

References

  1. ^ "Gamine". Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  2. ^ "The 2020 World Thoroughbred Rankings". Horseracingintfed.com. Retrieved 2021-01-26.
  3. ^ a b "2021 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint Grade 1 - (race 4)". Equibase. 6 November 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  4. ^ "Maiden Special Weight – (race 6)". Equibase. 20 March 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Allowance Optional Claiming – (race 7)". Equibase. 2 May 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Grade 1 Longines Acorn Stakes – (race 8)". Equibase. 20 June 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Grade 1 Longines Test Stakes – (race 10)". Equibase. 8 August 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  8. ^ "Grade 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks – (race 12)". Equibase. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  9. ^ "Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint – (race 4)". Equibase. 7 November 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Grade 3 Las Flores Stakes – (race 2)". Equibase. 4 April 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  11. ^ "2021 Derby City Distaff S. presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery Grade 1 – (race 7)". Equibase. 1 May 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  12. ^ "2021 Great Lady M Stakes Grade 2 - (race 8)". Equibase. 5 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  13. ^ "2021 Ketel One Ballerina Handicap Grade 1 - (race 7)". Equibase. 28 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  14. ^ Frakes, Jason (4 February 2021). "Bob Baffert fined $1,500, Gamine disqualified from third-place finish in Kentucky Oaks". Courier-Journal. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  15. ^ "Champion Gamine Retired; Will Reside at Hill 'n' Dale". The Blood-Horse. 4 January 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  16. ^ BloodHorse Staff (7 February 2022). "Champion Gamine to be Bred to Quality Road; The 2020 Breeders' Cup F&M Sprint (G1) winner will visit Quality Road this season". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  17. ^ "Gamine". Retrieved 9 January 2020.