Groupie Doll fantastic in the Vinery Madison Stakes
Buff Bradley and Fred, who bred and co-own the 4-year-old filly, Groupie Doll, sent her wearing blinkers in the Grade 1, $300,000 Vinery Madison Stakes over Keeneland’s synthetic surface on 14 April, 2012, at about seven furlongs, and with more focus because
of the blinkers, the filly notched her first grade 1 victory at the odds of 7 to 2.
The idea of making Groupie Doll wear blinkers came from her recent workouts she turned in wearing blinkers. She has been found aggressive, and in result turned in very good workouts, and according to Buff Bradley that was the reason why everyone decided
to send her with blinkers on which paid off big time.
The daughter of Bowman’s Band, out of mare Deputy Doll by Silver Deputy, Groupie Doll got the outside pot under Rajiv Maragh, but it was the Grade 1 Santa Monica Stakes winner, Home Sweet Aspen who set the pace and went the opening quarter mile in 22.67
seconds.
She couldn’t maintain the lead until the half mile marker, as Julien Leparoux over Whipsaw City made a bold move going into the far turn and turning in the half mile in 46.32 seconds.
The lead from Whipsaw City was short lived because coming off the far turn, Groupie Doll moved four wide into contention, and by the eighth pole Groupie Doll was in the lead.
She’s Cheeky made a bold move, and the 20 to 1 choice’s late bid was looking a little ominous but, Groupie Doll was well positioned on the outside as he held off her run going for the wire.
Groupie Doll kept Robby Albarado and She’s Cheeky at bay till the wire, as Ariana D held off the 3 to 1 favourite female sprinter of the year 2011, Musical Romance in fourth, as Ariana D finished six and a half lengths adrift of the winner.
“I got a good outside post and just tried to get her involved in the race without doing too much early," Maragh said. "After that, she just finished really strong. She finished with a lot of power. She was long gone by the eighth pole.”
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