A good two-horse battle on the tote ended up being a one-horse affair on the Saratoga main track, as Boyd Racing's second-time starter Tennessee Belle (f, 2, Yaupon-Belle Gallantey, by After Market) put away her well-backed chief market rival Nonna Teresa (Gun Runner) approaching the stretch and powered through the lane to graduate by 7 1/4 lengths Saturday afternoon.
At one point separated by just $3,000 on the board, the $75,000 Keeneland November weanling turned $160,000 Fasig-Tipton February yearling was ultimately sent off as the 1.05-1 favorite clear of 2-1 Nonna Teresa and was one of the first to break the line, with the debuting Nonna Teresa doing her best to match motors while holding her spot at the rail and relegating the favorite to the two path past an opening quarter-mile in :22.45.
Joined for the run into the final three-eighths of a mile by 25-1 All About You (Maclean's Music), Tennessee Belle 'voluntarily' counterpunched inside and when asked for her best in upper stretch by Joel Rosario, put the race to bed in a matter of strides and was just shown the whip to the wire.
Tennessee Belle had one previous appearance under her belt, a runner-up effort when well-backed on July 26 debut behind fellow 'Rising Star' Tommy Jo (Into Mischief).
Breeze Easy acquired GI Delaware Handicap and GI Beldame Stakes victress Belle Gallantey for $325,000 in foal to Runhappy at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton November Sale and offered the mare with this filly in utero at Keeneland November in 2022, only to retain her when bidding stalled out at $190,000. Re-offered at KEENOV last fall, she was knocked down to Chad Schumer/KGS for $120,000 when listed in foal to McKinzie.
Through bloodstock agents Billy Love and Brittany Linton, Boyd Racing principal Randy Boyd, the president of the University of Tennessee and founder of Radio Systems Corporation, paid $2.6 million for a Gun Runner filly out of former 'TDN Rising Star' Paradise Woods (Union Rags) at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale on Aug. 5. “Life is about living slightly uncomfortable and this is a whole new space for us,” he told TDN's Jessica Martini at the sale. Boyd also gave $350,000 for a Practical Joke colt during the sale's opening night of trade.
4th-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 8-16, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.74, ft, 7 1/4 lengths.
TENNESSEE BELLE, f, 2, by Yaupon
1st Dam: Belle Gallantey (MGISW-US, SP-Can, $1,134,270), by After Market
2nd Dam: Revealed, by Old Trieste
3rd Dam: Field of Vision, by Deputy Minister
Sales history: $75,000 Wlg '23 KEENOV; $160,000 Ylg '24 FTKFEB; $385,000 RNA Ylg '24 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $75,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Boyd Racing LLC; B-Breeze Easy LLC (KY); T-John Alexander Ortiz.
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