Groupie Doll dishes out the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint for the connections
The four-year-old chestnut filly, Groupie Doll, broke the record of the last five years of the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint of the favourites never ending up in the winners’ enclosure of the race. She was entered as the 1 to 1 favourite for the $909,000
race, and was backed by the remarkable four winning streak. Ever since the blinkers came on in April this season, the William Bradley trained has not missed a single race.
She has lined-up three Grade I races over seven furlongs, and two Grade II races.
With the straight fifth graded success, the daughter of Bowman’s Band, has also carried home the title of the Eclipse Award as the champion female sprinter.
As Teddy’s Promise got to his business of developing the pace of the race, the jockey of Groupie Doll, Rajiv Maragh, had to race her in the middle of the track. Just when the pace setter was on his way for the turn, the chestnut filly took the chance, and
drew clear of Teddy’s Promise and Dust and Diamonds.
Only getting the leader out of the way was not the plan for the star of the field, she wanted it, and wanted it big. Reeling in for making just that true, she won from Dust and Diamonds by a good 4 ½ lengths, taking 1:20.72 to complete the trip.
All of her five successes have become true with the riding partner, Rajiv Maragh.
The start of the season was more of a dismay for the connections who yearned for celebration. She then won the fourth outing of the season, the Grade 1 Madison Stakes. Just after that, the incredible filly went on to add glamour to the profile by bringing
back the Grade 1 Humana Distaff Stakes.
"She broke really good," Bradley said. "I saw Rajiv riding her, but that was the plan. I told him to keep her close and in a position where she could make her move. It worked out wonderfully.
"I don't know what I would have done if she would have lost," he laughed. "I don't think I could have gotten out of here. Everyone wanted to 'single' her, and to be honest, I was sweating that more than anything. This is unbelievable."
"You're the big favorite and expected to win, but you still have to get there," Maragh stated. "It's never easy until you pass the wire.”
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