Gin Gin. (Courtney Snow/Past The Wire)
Thorpedo Anna Finishes Fourth
Keeneland Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Calumet Farm’s homebred Gin Gin went right to the front and then held off Nitrogen by a head to win the 70th running of the $650,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1) for fillies and mares on Sunday afternoon at Keeneland as reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna finished fourth.
With the victory, Gin Gin earned a fees-paid berth into the starting gate for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
Also posting stakes victories Sunday afternoon were Repole Stable’s Final Score in the 35th running of the $400,000 Castle & Key Bourbon (G2) for 2-year-olds and Mrs. John Magnier, Mountmellick Farm, Brook Smith and Resolution Road Stables’ Schwarzenegger in the eighth running of the $300,000 Indian Summer (L) Presented by Keeneland Select.
Winner of the Baird Doubledogdare (G3) during the Spring Meet in her lone previous Keeneland start, Gin Gin led the field of five through fractions of :23.74 and :46.69 with Thorpedo Anna just to her outside.
Heading into the far turn, Nitrogen ranged up three wide to move into second as Thorpedo Anna began to retreat. Gin Gin maintained her advantage into the stretch running next to the rail and had enough to hold off a final bid from Nitrogen.
Trained by Brendan Walsh and ridden by Luis Saez, Gin Gin completed the mile and an eighth on the fast main track in 1:49.77. It is the second Juddmonte Spinster victory for Saez, who took the race in 2020 with Valiance.
Gin Gin is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Hightail out of the Hard Spun mare Before You Know. She owns a career mark of 13-4-3-2 with earnings of $942,796.
Gin Gin returned $38.64 and $9.36. Nitrogen, ridden by Jose Ortiz, returned $4.28 to place with no show wagering.
It was another 1¼ lengths back to Scylla in third and another 7¼ lengths back to Thorpedo Anna in fourth with Chilled finishing fifth.
Racing resumes Wednesday with an eight-race program beginning at 1 p.m. ET.
Keeneland will offer a Super Hi Five carryover of $50,245.
Quotes from the $650,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1) at Keeneland
Luis Saez (winning rider of Gin Gin), On the fast pace for the distance: “I just tried to keep her comfortable. I knew we were rolling pretty fast, and we had pressure the whole way. But this filly loves the pressure. She was running pretty well. (Trainer) Brendan (Walsh) told me, ‘Don’t take anything away from her. Just let her run and let her be happy and she’s going to finish for you.’ And she did. She came to the top of the stretch, and she had a pretty good victory.”
Brendan Walsh (winning trainer): “It’s great because she was in great order in the spring when she won the (Baird) Doubledogdare (G3 at Keeneland), and we felt she went a little downwards on us after that. We brought her up to Saratoga — (assistant trainer) Charlie (Lynch) had her at Saratoga — and got her back up and right, and when she came back here, I couldn’t believe how well she did, how good she looked and everything. When she’s on song she’s actually a very, very good filly.”
On the fast pace for the distance: “You think they’re going a tick quick, but when she’s out on the lead like that, I knew they weren’t going to get by her without a fight, and that’s all we wanted him to do, was give her her best chance, and he did. Hats off to her. She’s very tough. At the end of the day, it’s down to her.”
Jose Ortiz (rider of runner-up Nitrogen): “(My trip) was good, I was very happy throughout. I approached the quarter pole nicely, but I just couldn’t come by. The filly dug in, congratulations to her connections.”
Mark Casse (trainer of Nitrogen): “She was wide in the first turn, wide in the second turn. But she showed me what I needed to see. I thought we had it. She wants a target, and the pace wasn’t fast enough. If she’s OK, we’re thinking the Breeders’ Cup, but I’ll have to talk to the Greens (owners Leonard and Jon Green).”
Flavien Prat (rider of fourth-place finisher and beaten favorite Thorpedo Anna): “Honestly, I haven’t had enough experience on her to have a good read. She was very nice and relaxed before the race. I thought I was in a good spot going into the first turn. Even on the backside, I thought I was driving all right. When we got to the half-mile pole, that was it. I was in deep water. She came back good. We move on to the next.”
Kenny McPeek (trainer of Thorpedo Anna): “She’s taken us on some incredible highs the last two years. We’ve had an amazing journey with her. Horses are like a wave. You are trying to catch a big wave. Unfortunately, this is not a good day for her. We’re all disappointed. Not even going to think about Breeders’ Cup right now, uncharacteristic of her.
“These things don’t last forever. No sure thing in this game. An old guy told me years ago ‘Win like you are used to it and lose like you like it.’ It’s a humbling business. They have good days and bad days. We are going to lose as gracefully as possible.”
