Groupie Doll arrive at Gulfstream Park to prepare for 2013 campaign
Owned and trained by Buff Bradley, Groupie Doll, arrived at Gulfstream Park by van to begin training for her 2013 debut, which is set to come in the Grade 2 Information Stakes on 17 March at Gulfstream Park. The dirt race will be run over a distance of seven
furlongs, and it is restricted for 4-year-old and above fillies and mares.
For the past one month, Groupie Doll has been sharing a paddock with the retired grade 1 winning gelding, Brass Hat, and both of them were stationed at Buff Bradley’s Indian Ridge Farm near Frankfort, Ky.
Groupie Doll hasn’t lost a lot of conditioning according to her trainer, and she will take proper training in January. She will start galloping in the first month of the year, and in February she will start galloping.
The 4-year-old filly by Bowman’s Band, Groupie Doll, is the favourite to become the champion female sprinter at the Eclipse Awards ceremony at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 19
Out of Silver Deputy mare Deputy Doll, Groupie Doll put together a five race win streak this year, which included victories in three grade 1 races and two grade 2 races.
Her five race win streak was snapped in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct Racetrack on 24 November, 2012, when she went up against boys for the first time in her career, and was nosed by Stay Thirsty to finish second.
Groupie Doll’s greatest achievement this season was winning the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita Park on 3 November. She posted a 4 ½ length victory under jockey Rajiv Maragh, but it wasn’t as easy as it sounds, as the filly made
a late run to win the race over a speed favoured track.
"You could see early on in the Breeders' Cup that she struggled a little bit because we knew we had to use her a little bit to have her stay up close and not let them get too far away," Bradley said. "Rajiv and I talked about it. I don't like to take a horse
out of their running style, but we knew we were going to have to encourage her a little more, earlier in the race."
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