Beach Bomb (blue cap) wins the Orchid (Angelo Lieto)
Second Straight U.S. Score for Dual South African G1 Winner
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – In a repeat of her seasonal debut last month, Cayton Park Stud’s South African Group 1 winner Beach Bomb jumped out to an early lead and dug in when tested late for a front-running head victory over Silvology in Saturday’s $165,000 Orchid (G3) at Gulfstream Park.
The 61st running of the Orchid for older fillies and mares going 1 ½ miles on the grass was the second of 10 stakes, five graded, worth $2.62 million in purses on a spectacular 14-race program anchored by the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1), the country’s premiere Triple Crown prep.
Ridden by Luis Saez for trainer Graham Motion, Beach Bomb ($5.20) covered the distance in 2:24.29 over a firm turf course four weeks after scoring a one-length gate-to-wire triumph in Gulfstream’s 1 3/8-mile The Very One, also under Saez.
Sitting in outermost Post 6 following the early scratch of Virginia Oaks runner-up Early On, Beach Bomb broke alertly and immediately found herself on the lead through splits of 24.19 seconds, 48.56 and 1:13.33, pressed to her outside by 40-1 longshot My Brazilian Girl with Queen Regent in third along the rail.
Beach Bomb, favored at 8-5, rounded the far turn still in front as La Mehana swung outside to make her bid and Silvology squeezed through along the rail to make things tight at the finish, with Silvology a neck ahead in second. It was the second straight victory for Beach Bomb after going winless in three starts last summer and fall upon coming to the U.S.
Winning trainer Graham Motion (Beach Bomb): “I left it up to [jockey] Luis [Saez]. She was drawn on the outside, so it was perfect. He could make the call what he wanted to do. I didn’t really give him any instructions. After last time, what was I going to say?”
“We went quite a lot quicker today, so I was worried about the mile and a half. I don’t know that’s what she wants to do. I think she gets away with it here. What a nice filly.”
“I think people don’t realize what these [South African horses] went through last year. They came a year ago and they spent two months locked up in a small quarantine barn, so I think having a little break after Breeders’ Cup really allowed them to grow up and kind of be themselves. I think the time has done them a lot of good, I really do.”
Winning jockey Luis Saez (Beach Bomb): “I was a little worried, actually, when we came into the top of the stretch because she went a little bit further [today]. But she kept responding, and a good thing she held on. She always tries pretty hard. She was getting a little tired. But we knew that was going to happen because there was more distance today. Last time she surprised me. It was not the plan to be on the lead. But she’s been breaking pretty good, so we took the lead today. We knew she doesn’t have to be on the lead, but she breaks pretty well, and we didn’t want to take anything away from her.”
