Tin Type Gal Proves Best in Miss Grillo

My Meadowview Farm homebred Tin Type Gal (Tapit) nabbed Thrilled (Uncle Mo) in the final strides to win the GIII Miss Grillo S. by the length of her nose Sunday at Belmont Park. Settled in mid-pack as longshots Chinchilla Dust (Freud) and Look Who's Talking (Cape Clanco {Ire}) set a measured pace up front, Tin Type Gal surged up three wide on the far turn and loomed a threat after three-quarters in 1:12.55. Thrilled was first to overtake the tiring pacesetters from the rail, but Tin Type Gal was finding her best stride late and powered to the lead in the final strides.

“You have to think about the [Oct. 30 GI] Breeders' Cup [Juvenile Fillies Turf], that's why we're here,” confirmed winning trainer Graham Motion. “We're all pointing for those races. I was thrilled with the way she ran.”

My Meadowview owner Len Riggio was also impressed with his filly's effort.

“I think it was great,” Riggio said. “The jockey rode her great, she didn't even breathe heavy after the race. She looks like the real deal. She's a homebred and it feels good when you see them growing up. Looks like the Breeders' Cup is next; we're talking about it.”

“We had a very good break and I got into a good position,” winning rider Luis Saez said of his trip aboard Tin Type Gal. “When we came to the three-eighths [pole], I had so much horse. I asked her a little just to see what I had and she took off, so I thought, 'Well, let's go.' I saw the other one coming through on the rail and I got a little worried when he got through. But I knew I had a lot of horse and when we got to the end, she fought with the other one and we beat them.”

Favored Llanita (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), making her U.S. debut, was in traffic in upper stretch and swung out five wide for running room to get up late for fourth.

Tin Type Gal was making her third start in the Miss Grillo. The chestnut filly was a well-beaten seventh while making her debut over a sloppy track in a 5 1/2-furlong off-the-turfer at Saratoga July 30. Stretched out to 1 1/16 mile and over a firm turf course, she graduated by one length at the Spa Aug. 23.

“She's a nice filly,” trainer Graham Motion said. “I always thought she went better on the synthetic, which makes you think turf, but to be honest, I think she'll handle the dirt. I think she'll be a superior grass horse.”

Tin Type Gal is out of 2007 GI Personal Ensign S. winner Miss Shop (Deputy Minister), a half-sister to graded stakes winner and freshman sire Trappe Shot (Tapit). Miss Shop is also a half-sister to stakes winner Shop Again (Wild Again), the dam of Grade I winner Power Broker (Pulpit), stakes winner Fierce Boots (Tiznow) and Fast Retailing (Malibu Moon), the $1-million Keeneland September yearling of 2013 who was a first-out winner at Saratoga in July. Miss Shop was bred to Super Saver this year.

Sunday, Belmont
MISS GRILLO S.-GIII, $200,000, BEL, 9-27, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:41.41, fm.
1–#@TIN TYPE GAL, 117, f, 2, by Tapit
1st Dam: Miss Shop (GISW, $1,126,038), by Deputy Minister
2nd Dam: Shopping, by Private Account
3rd Dam: Impish, by Majestic Prince
O/B-My Meadowview LLC (KY); T-H. Graham Motion;
J-Luis Saez. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0,
$170,199. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
[bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]
2–Thrilled, 117, f, 2, Uncle Mo–Excited, by Giant's
Causeway. O-Michael B. Tabor; B-Chelston (KY);
T-Todd A. Pletcher. $40,000.
3–Time and Motion, 115, f, 2, Tapit–Ellie's Moment,
by Kris S. O-Phillips Racing Partnership; B-Phillips
Racing Partnership (KY); T-James J. Toner. $20,000.
[bullet ad=”crupi-trained”]
Margins: NO, 1HF, HD. Odds: 3.85, 2.55, 5.10.
Also Ran: Llanita (GB), Look Who's Talking, Chinchilla Dust, Wild About Harry, Breakfast Time, Lemon Liqueur, Archarella. Scratched: Belvoir Bay (GB).
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.