Co-owner, co-breeder and trainer Buff Bradley had a minor scare Saturday afternoon after Groupie Doll’s dominating, 6½-length victory under Rajiv Maragh in the $200,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2).
“They called me away from the champagne reception after the race from
the test barn,” Bradley said, explaining the call had been made because
of the filly’s demeanor. “I got there and she was not even blowing
hard. It was like she didn’t do anything. She was just telling me ‘Let’s
go home.’ ”
So home she went back to Churchill Downs, where Bradley reported she ate up everything last night and was grazing this morning.
The victory earned Groupie Doll an expense-paid trip to Santa Anita
for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) to be run
November 3.
The 4-year-old daughter of Bowman’s Band, now a millionaire after
Saturday’s victory, has won four graded stakes in a row by a combined
20½ lengths. She will step into the deepest of waters as one of the
biggest favorites at the World Championships.
“I went to bed at 11 last night but I woke up at 2:30 because I was
so jacked up,” said Bradley, who owns Groupie Doll with his father,
Fred, Carl Hurst and Brent Burns.
“I drove to McDonald’s and bought breakfast for everybody at the barn
and then it sunk in. She has been so dominant and you just watch her
and can’t believe she keeps doing it and so easily.”
According to Trakus, which records individual sectional times and
distance covered for races at Keeneland, Groupie Doll’s final furlong
Saturday was 0.69 seconds faster than the next-fastest finisher in the
race.
Bradley hopes to work Groupie Doll “a couple of easy halves” prior to
the Breeders’ Cup with the final work coming at Santa Anita.
“I would like to let her stretch her legs out there and get her there
a week before the race,” Bradley said. “I think there is a flight on
the Friday before (October 26) and that would be ideal.”
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