HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Winngate Stables’ Kathleen O., in just her second career race, overcame a poor start to sweep past horses on the far turn and power through the stretch to a 8 ½-length victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Cash Run at Gulfstream Park.
Handled by the Hall of Fame combination of jockey Javier Castellano and trainer Shug McGaughey, Kathleen O. ($6) completed about one mile in 1:35.97 over a fast main track to earn her second victory in as many tries. She raced once at 2, rallying from last for a head maiden special weight triumph in the slop Nov. 12 at Aqueduct.
“I was hoping she’d break better, but she did that the first time. She didn’t break that well and it takes her a few strides to get herself up underneath her,” McGaughey said. “Then when she does, [Castellano] said she was there and in a good flow. She got to horses in a hurry and finished up well, so I was very pleased with her. I think she’s got a nice future in front of her.”
Breaking from Post 2 in a field of seven under Castellano, also aboard for her debut, Kathleen O. got shuffled back out of the gate and trailed the field as Mi Negrita led the group through splits of 22.74 and 44.94 seconds. Castellano began to let Kathleen O. roll in the clear three wide and she quickly began picking up horses, taking over the top spot from Mi Negrita once straightened for home.
“She has to come from behind. She showed first time in New York at Aqueduct on a sloppy track,” Castellano said. “I don’t want to take that away because she doesn’t want to be close to the pace. I let her do what she wants. I think Shug he did a great job with the horse. I think she’s going to be a really good filly.”
Mi Negrita was a distant but determined second, followed by Fast and Flirty, Queen Camilla, Freccia d’Argento, Jumeirah and Surreal Fantasy.
“I think we’ve got a lot to look forward to,” McGaughey said. “I’m very pleased with the way she’s come along and the way she ran today, and her maturity level. I was just saying to [my wife] Alison, think of what she’s going to look like in a year from now. She’s always been tall and she’s still filling out.”
Kathleen O. is the first horse for Winngate’s Patrick Kearney, a Chicago native who spent $275,000 for the dark bay or brown daughter of Upstart, millionaire winner of the 2015 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream. Kearney also has a 3-year-old Noble Mission colt named Cloudy, who went 0-for-2 in 2021.
“They’re some people I’ve known for a while. I play golf with him and he kind of got to asking some questions last winter. I didn’t know exactly where he was coming from, but then we ended up buying two horses. One of them is on the farm now but he’ll be back, and this filly,” McGaughey said. “This is their first horse, so that worked out pretty good for them.”
Gulfstream Park Replay Show, Jan. 1, 2022
Gulfstream Park Press Release
Photo: Kathleen O. (Coglianese)
