San Vicente S. (gr. II)
(gr. II , 7f ,)
GEORGIE BOY
(DK B/ g,
122
lb) $90,000
Tribal Rule —Ippodamia , by
Peterhof
B—George Schwary,
CA.;
O—George Schwary;
T—Kathy Walsh
Into Mischief
(B h,
119
lb) $30,000
Harlan's Holiday —Leslie's Lady , by
Tricky Creek
B—James T. Hines Jr.,
KY.;
O—B. Wayne Hughes;
T—Richard E. Mandella
Massive Drama
(DK B/ h,
119
lb) $18,000
Kafwain —Peyvon , by
Slewacide
B—Mena Neel,
KY.;
O—Zayat Stables, LLC;
T—Bob Baffert
Margins: 3¼, 1, 14¼. Others: Red Hot Flame 116($9,000) . Winning Jockey, Rafael Bejarano.
Grade I winner Georgie Boy, who made all five of his starts last year at 2 in the span of three months, proved he can be at his best when off five months. The son of Tribal Rule won the Feb. 10 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita by 31¼4 lengths after trailing by 11¼2 lengths at the eighth pole.
Georgie Boy also proved that he can be fast. Ridden by Rafael Bejarano in the San Vicente, the gelding recorded a 102 Beyer Speed Figure, the co-second highest for a 3-year-old this year.
“He was a little upset today,” said Kathy Walsh, who trains the homebred for George Schwary of San Fernando, Calif. “It was his first race in five months. I thought he rated real well. He was a little rank the first quarter mile, then he settled off. We wanted to take him off it (the pace) a little. He did it last year real well and he seems to always run better from off the pace. Actually, I told Rafael this morning, he might be a little fresh and a little rank, and he was, just the first part of it, and like he said, after the first quarter mile, he settled right back to his game. If anything, the time off gave him some time to let him grow and mature.
“I ran him three times (as a 2-year-old) at Del Mar and for a horse that gives you so much, you want to give him a chance. He gave his heart every time he ran and I thought he just needed a rest. He had nothing wrong with him and Mr. Schwary has been marvelous about letting me do whatever I wanted with the horse.”
Georgie Boy, who is being aimed for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), was one of the highest-weighted colts on the 2007 Experimental Free Handicap. He was weighted at 119 pounds, which was eight pounds below champion and topweight War Pass.
Georgie Boy’s big win at 2 came in the Del Mar Futurity (gr. I) in his last start of the year. He earlier won the Graduation Stakes and ran second in the Best Pal Stakes (gr. II), both at Del Mar.
Walsh claimed Georgie Boy’s dam, Ippodamia (by Peterhof), for Schwary for $32,000 at Golden Gate Fields in November of 2003 from Tim and Sue Spooner. Bred in Washington by Richard Pasko, Ippodamia won the 2001 Northwest Stallion Stakes at Emerald Downs for Richard and Sharon Pasco.
Schwary, a retired appliances dealer, plans to send Ippodamia to 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense for a 2008 mating.
Tribal Rule has sired eight stakes winners, including additional 2008 added-money winner Italian Rules. Tribal Rule, who was represented by five 2007 stakes winners, stands for $5,000 at Martin and Pam Wygod’s River Edge Farm near Buellton, Calif.—D.S.
