G. Howard Spink’s SNOWDROPS (GB) (Gulch) vindicated her 3-5 heavy favoritism
in Saturday’s $269,600
Bayou
Breeders’ Cup H. (G3) during the Fair Grounds at Louisiana Downs meet,
scoring by two lengths under a confident ride from Brice Blanc. Trained by Christophe Clement, the six-year-old mare paid out $3.20, $2.10 and $2.10
after finishing 8 1/2 furlongs on the firm turf in 1:43 1/5.
When the gates opened, Pad the Wallet (Skip Away) surged to the front, taking
up a position just off the rail while Voz de Colegiala (Chi) (Sayaret) moved up
just behind her on the inside. Black Rock Road (Bertrando) completed the top three
as the field entered the first turn with Snowdrops settled not far back in
fifth. Setting splits of :25 1/5 and :50 2/5, Pad the Wallet led the way in the
backstretch, but couldn’t fight off an early challenge from Where’s Bailey
(Aljabr).
Moving up with a rush on the outside, Where’s Bailey took over through six
furlongs in 1:14 2/5 but suddenly found the rest of the field catching up.
Entering the final turn, Blanc and Snowdrops circled their rivals and were in
charge straightening out for the stretch run. From there, it was only a question
of how many lengths the winning margin would be as Snowdrops opened up on the
field to earn her second straight graded win.
La Reason (Labeeb [GB]) came late to beat out Lenatareese (Broad Brush) for
the place, paying $6.20 and $4.40 at 11-1 while finishing the $23.20 exacta.
Lenatareese finished another 1 3/4 lengths back in third at 7-1, giving back
$4.20 and ending the $84 trifecta. The 7-3-1-8 superfecta returned $204.40 with
Black Rock Road just missing the show by a head. Where’s Bailey, Pad the Wallet
and Voz de Colegiala completed the order under the wire after Freei (Honor
Grades) was scratched.
Snowdrops came into this one off a half-length score in the My Charmer H.
(G3) at Calder and has also earned victories in the Suwannee River H. (G3) and Politely S.
last year. In all, the gray mare now owns six stakes wins and five
black-type placings, moving her record to 23-10-3-2 with $594,787 in lifetime
earnings. She’ll now head off for another career, that of being a mommy.
“This was her last race,” assistant trainer Christophe Lorieul said. “It’s
nice to go out on a win.”
Bred in Great Britain by West Lodge Stud, Snowdrops passed through the sales
ring twice, RNAing both times. She is out of the listed-placed Roses in the Snow
(Be My Guest), who is also the dam of an unraced juvenile filly named
Babyurthebest (Holy Bull) and an unnamed yearling filly by Kafwain.