East coast-based Motion shipped in South African mare for the win. (Benoit Photo)
Del Mar Press
DEL MAR, Calif.—The South African mare Gimme a Nother, who had been racing in the east this year since transplanting from her native land, scored a smart win in the Grade II John C. Mabee Stakes Saturday at Del Mar.
The 5-year-old bay was well-positioned throughout by leading rider Juan Hernandez, then fired in the lane to come away a length and a quarter winner in the nine-furlong turf test. She picked up a check for $150,000 from the gross purse of $252,000 to increase her career earnings to $425,773 with her eighth win in her 12th start. She is a daughter of the South African stallion Gimmethegreenlight.
“She (assistant Clapham) told me she’s a really nice filly. She told me she can run from behind the pace; you can do whatever you want with her,” said Hernandez.
“Around the turn she was getting out a little bit and the #4 (favorite Medoro) horse was getting a little close to me. So, I was just trying to get in a good position and save ground. As soon as the horse ahead of me stepped out a little bit, around the quarter pole, that’s when she took off.”
Finishing second in the turf test was C R K Stable’s Medoro, the 7/10 favorite in the stakes. She had a length and three quarters on RyZan Sun Racing and Madaket Stables’ Mission of Joy.
Final time for the race was 1:48.55. This was the 68th edition of the John C. Mabee.
“Juan (Hernandez) had a plan and we said if somebody wants to go just let them and just let her sit in there. She’s very straight forward and easy to ride and he did a great job. When he asked her, and she got with the other one and changed leads I thought ‘Now she’s got ‘em,’” commented Alice Clapham, assistant to Graham Motion.
The stakes win was the 10th of the meeting for rider Hernandez and his second (Avenue de France, 2022) in the Mabee. He now has 62 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The stakes win the second of the meet for trainer Motion, but his first in the Mabee. He now has 12 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The winning owner is Newstead Stables of Steve and Jessica Jell of Lewisville, PA.
