G. Howard Spink’s SNOWDROPS (GB) (Gulch) appeared on the far outside as the
field entered the stretch run in Saturday’s $100,000
My Charmer H. (G3) and
rallied furiously to get up in deep stretch, making amends for a runner-up
finish in 2004 with a half-length victory this time around. With Brice Blanc
providing a well-timed ride aboard the late-running gray mare, the Christophe
Clement representative turned 1 1/8 miles over the firm turf in 1:48 1/5. The My
Charmer was the first of four $100,000 stakes on Calder’s Grand Slam I program.
Sent off the 9-2 second choice, Snowdrops gamely caught Ticker Tape (GB)
(Royal Applause [GB]) and La Reina (A.P. Indy) inside the final sixteenth of a
mile to earn her fifth career stakes win. The race featured an inauspicious
start from the 3-5 favorite, multiple Grade 1 winner Sand Springs (Dynaformer),
who broke slowly and got shuffled back behind rivals instead of displaying her normal front-running tactics. That allowed Path of Thunder (Thunder Gulch)
to assume a clear early lead, and she proceeded to crawl through opening splits
of :24 3/5 and :49 3/5. Snowdrops remained nestled near the back of the pack,
beginning her rally as the field approached the final bend, and the pace started
to quicken with six furlongs in 1:13 1/5.
Ticker Tape made an attempt for the lead about four wide as the runners began to
straighten for the stretch run, and La Reina found clear sailing along the rail
to offer a serious challenge. However, Snowdrops was going best of all on the
grandstand side and she paid $11.20, $5.40 and $4.20 after proving best. La Reina grabbed the place at nearly 8-1, a half-length better than Ticker Tape,
and gave back $6.80 and $5.40. Ticker Tape returned $5.80 at 6-1 odds. The
exotics totaled $72.60 (exacta), $300.40 (trifecta) and $557.40 for the
7-12-10-2 superfecta.
Sand Springs managed to grab fourth and was followed under the wire by Path
of Thunder, Elle Runaway (El Prado [Ire]), Silver Lace (Silver Deputy), Pattiano
(Rubiano) and Skip Command (Skip Away). Fin (GB) (Groom Dancer), Formal Miss
(Formal Dinner) and Spotlight (GB) (Dr Fong) were all withdrawn.
Bred in Great Britain by West Lodge Stud, the five-year-old Snowdrops now
owns a 22-9-3-2 mark with $433,027 in earnings. She’s the second and most
successful foal from the stakes-placed Roses in the Snow (Ire) (Be My Guest),
who is also the dam of yearling filly by Holy Bull and a weanling filly by
Kafwain. Snowdrops captured the Suwannee River H. (G3) earlier this year and has
scored in the last two runnings of the Politely S. at Monmouth Park. She’s placed
in five black-type events.
“She’s always been a nice filly,” Clement said. “I’ll be talking to the
owner, but she may run one more time in the Bayou (Breeders’ Cup) H. (G3) (on
January 14) at Louisiana Downs before going back to England to be bred next
year.”