Irish-bred filly notches first stakes triumph and win for new ownership. (Lauren King)
Jerry the Nipper Goes All the Way in $100,000 St. Augustine
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Racing for the first time for new owner Victoriam Farm LLC, the 4-year-old Irish-bred filly Just a Care made her recent purchase look like a smart decision when she won Saturday’s $115,000 Abundantia Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
“It worked out fantastic,” said winning trainer Brian Lynch, who saddled the filly for the first time.
Sold in November at the Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale for $200,000, Just a Care and jockey Junior Alvarado circled the field on the only turn in the 5-furlong stakes for fillies and mares before pulling off for a 1 ½-length victory over Karaya, with early frontrunner Shoutoutthelights ending up third, another 1 ½-lengths back.
“I don’t know if it was by design,” Lynch said. “But she ended up in the right spot at the right time and had enough punch when she needed it. It got a little scary halfway around the turn. It looked like she wanted to drift out a little bit. She showed how game she was.”
Just a Care’s victory was her fourth in nine lifetime starts and improved her mark at Gulfstream to two wins and a second in three starts over the course.
With Shoutoutthelights setting the early pace, Just a Care was positioned in mid-pack before mounting her decisive attack on the turn. She finished in 54.15.
Jerry the Nipper Goes All the Way in $100,000 St. Augustine
Gary Smith’s Jerry the Nipper left the gate on top in the $100,000 St. Augustine and never looked back while making his debut across the Gulfstream’s tapeta surface.
Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Jerry the Nipper held off a late challenge by Boppy O while covering the 1 1/16 mile in 1:39.97.
Coming out of restricted stakes races in New York, Jerry the Nipper is a 7-year-old by Liam’s Map. The gelding has seven wins, four seconds and nine thirds in 28 starts.
