Francisco Arrieta guides G W’s Girl to victory in the Mockingbird (Coady Media)
Dirt Debut a Success for Munnings Filly
Robert Yates/Oaklawn Park
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – It was a successful dirt debut for G W’s Girl, who took advantage of a hot early pace to win Saturday’s $150,000 Mockingbird Stakes.
G W’s Girl ($12.80) finished a length ahead of 2-5 favorite Shisospicy in the six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies. Francisco Arrieta was aboard for trainer Greg Compton, who notched his first career Oaklawn stakes victory.
Shisospicy finished 5 ¼ lengths ahead of third-place finisher Chatter, who was followed, in order, by Flash Master, Helen’s Revenge, Piggy Tales Up, Battleshipper, Lady Crush and Clapping Trees.
Shisospicy broke on top, but longshot Lady Crush rushed up along the inside to grab the lead, tearing through an opening quarter in :21.60. Shisospicy took command turning for home and held a 3 ½-length advantage in midstretch. G W’s Girl, fourth early, began advancing toward the leaders late on the turn and rode the momentum to her second victory in three starts.
The winning time over a fast track was 1:10.44.
A daughter of Munnings, G W’s Girl races for Mag Racing Stables of Greg Massanelli & Margaret Molleston. G W’s Girl was exiting a fifth-place finish in the $250,000 Indian Summer Stakes at 5 ½ furlongs Oct. 6 at Keeneland. She now has $110,475 in career earnings.
Winning jockey Francisco Arrieta: “He (trainer Greg Compton) worked her on the dirt and said he liked her. I did work her on the dirt. I liked her, too. Looked like there was going to be a lot of speed, which was going to be good for me. But she jumped. She was sitting right there. Flavien Prat’s horse (Shisospicy) was running. When I took a look, he was like three (lengths) in front of me and going. When I hit her with the whip, she reached forward quickly. When I hit her left-handed, she exploded. She did a great job.”
Winning trainer Greg Compton: “She’s a classy filly. She showed it today. Surface doesn’t matter. Hopefully, she can stretch out at the mile and a sixteenth next time. Actually, what was going through my mind is a just a picture-perfect scenario. We had somebody (Lady Crush) go up and pressure the 7 (Shisospicy) and we were able to sit back and get a nice trip.”
