On Florida Derby (gr. I) day at Gulfstream Park, horsemen hoped to gain some insight for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) picture. Before the 3-year-old colts took the spotlight, however, 3-year-old fillies tackled the $150,000 Bonnie Miss Stakes (gr. II)(VIDEO), and Denholtz Stables’ Shes All Eltish made one thing crystal clear – she’s all class.
The daughter of Eltishwas making her first start in graded competition and faced the likes of Backseat Rhythm, third behind Indian Blessing and Proud Spell in last year’s Gray Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I), and Highest Class, third behind Indian Blessing in the Feb. 9 Silverbulletday Stakes (gr. I). But her potential to go on to greater things became apparent in the 1 1/8-mile Bonnie Miss, when she overpowered the field by 6 ¾ lengths.
Sent off at odds of 4-1 under Eddie Castro, the Marty Wolfson trainee tracked the pace in third while Overandabeauty led through a quarter in :24.35 and a half in :48.36. Halo Hollie raced second while the two favorites, Backseat Rhythm and Highest Class, were in the back of the field.
They went through three-quarters in 1:12.79 with She’s All Eltish beginning her move three wide up the outside. When they hit the head of the stretch, the filly was ready to rumble. She cleared her competitors and romped home while increasing her advantage in spite of drifting out, running greenly in the stretch, and switching leads when Castro went to a right-handed stick.
“She stayed behind the speed," said Castro. "She was very relaxed on the backside and I had a lot of horse at the three-eighths pole. I’ve ridden her on turf and dirt and I like her better on dirt.”
“My whole concern was her moving too soon," Wolfson said. "She really did it easy today when she opened up like that. She needs horses to run at. I don’t know what’s next. She’s nominated for the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), but I don’t want to go there. There’s too much commotion.”
She’s all Eltish returned $10.80, $5.60, and $3.40. Robbie’s Gal and jockey Jose Lezcano paid $7.80 and $4.20, while Highest Class closed to bring $2.60 under John Velazquez.
She’s All Eltish came into the Bonnie Miss off a runner-up effort going 1 1/16 miles on the turf at Gulfstream March 9. Bred in Florida by Live Oak Stud out of the Hesabull mare Shesabullwinkle, she now owns a career record of 3-3-1 from seven starts, with earnings of $156,280.
(Chart, Equibase)
