FORWARD GAL S. (gr. II ), Gulfstream Park , January 26, 2013 , $200,000 Guaranteed , value of race $240,000 , 3 yo , 7 furlongs , 1:22.13 Dirt FT .

B. Wayne Hughes’ Spendthrift Farm hit the exacta as a breeder in the Jan. 26 Forward Gal Stakes (gr. II) for 3-year-old fillies at Gulfstream Park. The Lexington-based farm bred the top two finishers, and each filly was sired by a Spendthrift stallion.

Kauai Katie, by Malibu Moon, captured the Forward Gal as the 3-10 favorite by 51/2 lengths. My Happy Face, by Tiz Wonderful, finished second. The victory was the fifth in six starts for Kauai Katie, who races for Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Stables.

Kauai Katie, who began the year with a victory Jan. 1 in the Old Hat Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream, and My Happy Face were graded winners last year. After breaking her maiden by 12 lengths at Saratoga in her first start, Kauai Katie won the Adirondack Stakes (gr. II) and the Matron Stakes (gr. II). She finished fourth in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I).

My Happy Face, who races for Michael Dubb, captured last year’s Tempted Stakes (gr. III) after finishing second in the Frizette Stakes (gr. I).

Stonestreet bought Kauai Katie for $490,000 at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Florida March sale of 2-year-olds in training from Eddie Woods, agent. At the 2011 Keeneland September yearling sale, Kauai Katie was purchased by Grady Equine for $90,000 from Warrendale Sales, agent for Spendthrift. Kauai Katie has earned $588,000.

Stonestreet enjoyed a solid 2012 as an owner. Alone and in partnership, the outfit raced grade I winners My Miss Aurelia and Dreaming of Julia, plus other graded winners Dominus and Hierro. My Miss Aurelia, champion 2-year-old filly of 2011, won the Cotillion Stakes (gr. I) in September for Stonestreet and George Bolton.

Dominus raced for Stonestreet and Bolton in partnership with Spendthrift. Dominus, who won the Bernard Baruch Handicap (gr. IIT) at Saratoga in September, will enter stud this year at Spendthrift for a fee of $6,500 (see page 20).

Malibu Moon has sired 67 stakes winners including More Chocolate, winner of the La Canada Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita Jan. 20. Malibu Moon’s 2013 fee at Spendthrift is $70,000.—D.S

OLD HAT S. (gr. III ), Gulfstream Park , January 01, 2013 , $100,000 Guaranteed , value of race $140,000 , 3 yo , 6 furlongs , 1:09.66 Dirt FT .

Like her dam, it appears Kauai Katie prefers sprints over route distances. The filly, who is now a three-time graded stakes winner, scored her most recent victory in the six-furlong Old Hat Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park.

The Old Hat was preceded by Kauai Katie’s only off-the-board effort, a fourth in the 11/16-mile Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filles (gr. I) in November. Before that, the daughter of Malibu Moon had won the six-furlong Matron Stakes (gr. II) and the 61/2-furlong Adirondack Stakes (gr. II).

Trainer Todd Pletcher said the Forward Gal Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Jan. 26 is likely to be the next goal for 3-year-old Kauai Katie, who is owned by Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Stables.

Kauai Katie was produced by the More Than Ready mare More Than Pretty, who won or placed in four sprint contests from 2005-06, including a victory in the five-furlong Open Mind Stakes.

Raced throughout her career by Naveed Chowhan, More Than Pretty was purchased for $330,000 by B. Wayne Hughes at the 2007 Keeneland January mixed sale from Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.

“She’s one of the very first mares we bought based on a new approach,” said Ned Toffey, general manager of Hughes’ Lexington-based Spendthrift Farm. “We decided to buy mares where pedigree would be more secondary to ability. (In our approach), the mares didn’t necessarily have to be graded stakes winners; there just had to be some inherent ability. We also bought (More Than Pretty) with the idea of breeding her to Malibu Moon.”

Spendthrift campaigns More Than Pretty’s second foal, Winding Way, as a homebred. A full sister to Kauai Katie, she won the 2012 Rancho Bernardo Handicap (gr. III). Winding Way is currently sidelined with a minor injury, but Toffey expects her to be back in training soon with Carla Gaines.

Spendthrift sold Kauai Katie through Warrendale Sales, agent, at the 2011 Keeneland September yearling sale, where she was bought by Grady Equine. The following year she was acquired for $490,000 by Stonestreet Stables at the Fasig-Tipton Florida March 2-year-olds in training sale from Eddie Woods, agent.

Toffey reported that More Than Pretty is currently in Australia, where she produced a foal by Tapit during the Southern Hemisphere breeding season. She is scheduled to ship back to the United States and be bred to Malibu Moon for 2014.

Malibu Moon, the sire of 65 stakes winners, will stand the 2013 season for $70,000 at Spendthrift.—E.M.