By Ben Massam
Just over one year ago, Wavell Avenue (Harlington) closed stoutly into a slow pace and came up a neck shy of La Verad (Yes It's True) in the GII Gallant Bloom H.–an effort that proved to be a valuable springboard to her subsequent win in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint a month later at Keeneland. The dark bay enters Saturday's renewal of the Gallant Bloom with some questions to answer, having won just once from five appearances in 2016. Winner of Saratoga's Shine Again S. Aug. 3, the Chad Brown trainee could do no better than sixth behind a slow early pace in the GI Ballerina S. at the Spa Aug. 27.
The pace in the Gallant Bloom will likely come from Hot City Girl (City Zip), the younger half-sister of last year's winner La Verdad. The speedy New York-bred recently led wire-to-wire on relatively slow fractions en-route to a score in the restricted Union Avenue S. at Saratoga Aug. 18. She is likely to meet more early pressure in the Gallant Bloom, and the ever-dangerous Paulassilverlining (Ghostzapper) figures to get a favorable, forwardly-placed trip. The 4-year-old is unbeaten in two starts at Belmont Park, including a trip-and-track score in the GIII Vagrancy H. May 21.
The race also features two other intriguing 4-year-old Empire-breds by Tiz Wonderful in four-time Grade I-placed Wonder Gal and the ultra-consistent Quezon. Wonder Gal recently returned with a dominant 11 1/2-length romp in a state-bred optional claimer at the Spa Sept. 7, while Quezon was impeded at the break and closed belatedly to complete the exacta behind Hot City Girl in the Union Avenue.
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