“TDN Rising Star” Cathryn Sophia (Street Boss) hopes to take yet another leap forward in Gulfstream's GII Forward Gal S. Saturday. A dominating 12 3/4-length winner on debut at Parx Oct. 30, the Cash is King runner crushed her competition by 16 1/4 lengths next out in Laurel's Gin Talking S. Dec. 5. The bay has been working well in the interim, including a five-panel bullet in :59 3/5 at Palm Meadows two back Jan. 16.
“I felt very confident going into [the Gin Talking],” trainer John Servis said. “She had trained really, really well going into that race. There were some horses that had showed some talent in there. You didn't know how good they were. The horse [Look Who's Talking] that was fifth came back to win her next start [the Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship].”
Conquest Stables' Conquest Babayaga (Uncle Mo) makes her first start on conventional dirt in this step up to graded company. The Mark Casse pupil opened her account with a 6 3/4-length success on the Woodbine synthetic and finished second behind undefeated “TDN Rising Star” Ami's Mesa (Sky Mesa) next out there in the Glorious Song S. Nov. 21. Hall of Famer Mike Smith makes the trip in from the West Coast to pilot the dark bay filly.
“She's doing well. This will be her first try on dirt, but the Uncle Mos have been doing very well on dirt,” Casse said. “That was a nice filly [Ami's Mesa] and it was a really good race. The Forward Gal is not going to be an easy race. Mike Smith's going to ride her.”
Siena Farm's Island Saint (Speightstown) enters off a decisive optional claiming victory going six panels over this strip Dec. 11. A first-out winner in the slop at Saratoga, the Todd Pletcher pupil was third in Monmouth's Sorority S. Sept. 6 and checked in fifth in Belmont's GII Matron S. Oct. 18 prior to her last out success. The front-running filly will have to contend with the speedy Cathryn Sophia at the head of affairs.
“I thought she got back on track in her allowance win here,” Pletcher said. “I think she's kind of a free-running filly we made a mistake with trying to hold her up in a couple of her starts. I think she just wants to be let run freely early on, which we plan on doing.”
Another pair of some interest here are Disco Rose (Weigelia), who finished a sneaky good third in the GII Demoiselle S. Nov. 28; and Ballet Diva (Hear No Evil), who won the House Party S. Nov 28 and was third in the GIII Old Hat S. Jan. 2.
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