Gallorette Has Foreign Flavor

Saturday’s GIII Gallorette H. at Pimlico has a decidedly European feel to it, as a pair of talented racemares traverse the Atlantic for their stateside debuts. 

Mango Diva (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), a Group 3 winner in Ireland during her sophomore season when trained by Sir Michael Stoute for the Antoniades Family, split the field in fifth last year’s G3 Princess Elizabeth S. at Epsom in June, but atoned for that effort with a last-lunge victory in the G2 Kilboy Estate S. at The Curragh the following month (video). She was a well-bet last of six in the G1 Nassau S. at Goodwood 13 days later and while she was no better than fifth in the G2 Blandford S. back at The Curragh in September, she was hammered down for 525,000gns to London Thoroughbred Services at the Tattersalls December Sale. She makes her U.S. debut in the colors of George Strawbridge’s Augustin Stable and trainer Michael Matz, who reaches out to jockey Gary Stevens to ride. 

Antoinette Oppenheimer’s Token of Love (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) was a bit slower to come to hand than Mango Diva, defeating older rivals in a June 21 Newmarket handicap before finishing runner-up in a similar test at Newbury in July. Given a first crack at black-type company in the Listed Dick Hern S. at Haydock, the bay pounced from third and had a comfortable 2 1/4 lengths to spare over Lady Lara (Ire) (Excellent Art {GB}) (video), who franked the form with a victory in Belmont’s Pebbles S. following her transfer to the States late last year. Token of Love could not overcome a slow start and was 11th in the seven-furlong G3 Sceptre S. at Doncaster when last seen Sept. 11, but goes out for the Graham Motion stable, successful with about a third of its first-time imports. 

Bocaiuva (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) makes her second appearance on these shores, having won the Listed Prix Charles Laffitte in October ahead of a nose defeat in the G3 Prix de Flore at the end of that month. Her first U.S. run could not have been more disastrous, however, as she was mired in traffic every step of an 8 1/2-furlong Keeneland allowance Apr. 17 and was really never able to extend her stride. She finished 10th, but covered her final 2 1/2 furlongs in :29.24 seconds, according to DRF Formulator, adds Lasix and gets the shortest trip from the inside gate. 

With her victory in the 2014 GI Jenny Wiley S., Hard Not to Like (Hard Spun) is the lone member of this baker’s dozen with a top-level success, but is winless in two starts since being purchased by Speedway Stable for $1.5 million at last year’s Keeneland November sale. First home, but demoted to second in Tampa’s GIII Endeavour S. Jan. 31, she was most recently an excuse-free third in defense of her Jenny Wiley title Apr. 11.