It’s the apex of racing when a trainer gets one of their
horses to the Breeders’ Cup. It’s even
nicer when that trainer is also the owner.
And sweeter still when that owner and trainer is also the breeder. That’s exactly the position Amy Tarrant could
be in come Nov. 4, as she readies Monmouth Park based Pomeroys Pistol for a
berth in the $1,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs.
“It’s such a great position to be in, having a horse for the
Breeders’ Cup,” said Tarrant from her Monmouth Park headquarters. “I’ve been with this horse right from the
beginning and to be thinking about the Breeders’ Cup is just fantastic.”
A 3-year-old filly by Pomeroy, Pomeroys Pistol is the second
foal out of the mare Prettyatthetable, who has produced three horses to race, all
winners. The 4-year-old filly D’cats
Meow, a six-time winner, was Prettyatthetable’s first foal, and was recently second
in the Mongo Queen Stakes at Monmouth. This
past Sunday, 2-year-old colt Wildcat Creek broke his maiden at Monmouth, giving
Prettyatthetable a perfect record of three foals to race, three to win.
“Obviously, it’s extra special when you’re the breeder,”
Tarrant said. “The mother is by Point
Given and she’s clearly producing nice runners.”
Pomeroys Pistol began her career at Monmouth last summer, winning her debut by
nearly seven lengths. She tried stakes
competition in the Sorority Stakes and then finished third in an entry level
allowance thereafter.
Tarrant gave her filly time off after that, which seemed to
pay off nicely, as Pomeroys Pistol made her 3-year-old debut in the Grade 3 Old
Hat Stakes on Jan. 5 at Gulfstream
Park, finishing
second. She then captured Gulfstream’s
Grade 2 Forward Gal and was third in the Grade 2 Davona Dale. After that came a trip to Churchill Downs,
host site of this year’s Breeders’ Cup, for the Grade 3 Eight Belles, where she
finished sixth of ten.
“I sure hope it wasn’t that she didn’t like the track,”
Tarrant said. “She was very anxious in
the paddock and then on the track, so I’m hoping that was it. We’ll just do our best to keep her calm and
relaxed this time around.”
Following her trip to Louisville, Pomeroys Pistol returned
to Monmouth, where she trained like gangbusters all summer long. She showed just how good she was doing at her
home base when she took the Just Smashing Stakes on June 11 here by 4 ½ lengths
in 1:09 flat.
Then it was off to the Grade 1 Prioress at Belmont (second),
the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga (second) and finally the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom
Handicap at Belmont, where she was an impressive four length winner on Sept.
24.
“She was so quiet in the paddock,” Tarrant said. “She got me a little worried that perhaps she
was a little too quiet. Her race was
incredible. It was great that she took
on older horses and performed as well as she did.”
Now it’s back home to Monmouth for Pomeroys Pistol, where
she will spend the next month preparing for racing’s biggest stage – the
Breeders’ Cup.
“She’ll ship out at the end of October and head to Kentucky,
while the rest of the barn heads to the farm in Ocala,” Tarrant said. “And then after the Breeders’ Cup we’ll all
get some much needed R and R.”