Kauai Katie to start her new season with a run in Old Hat Stakes
Todd Pletcher trained 2-year-old filly, Kauai Katie’s three race win streak was snapped when she finished fourth in the toughest test of her short career thus far, the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, to winner Beholder, the Stonestreet Stables’ juvenile filly will kick off her 3-year-old campaign in the Grade 3, $100,000 Old Hat Stakes.
The six furlong test will be part of four stakes race on 1 January, 2013, at Gulfstream Park, and Kauai Katie tops the names of horses to start the New Year at Gulfstream Park.
Bred in Kentucky by Spendthrift Farm, Kauai Katie was successful in her first three career starts, as she started off by defeating maidens at first asking going five and one-half furlongs at Saratoga Race Course on 20 July, 2012.
After her impressive victory in the maiden special weight race, Todd Pletcher was tempted to start her in a Grade 2 event straightaway, and it was a brilliant decision to do so, as the Malibu Moon filly flew home in the Grade 2 Adirondack Stakes also at Saratoga Race Course.
Going over a distance of six and one-half furlongs, Kauai Katie defeated Salamera in second and Fully Living in third, as jockey Rosie Napravnik guided the filly across the wire in 1 minute and 16.81 seconds on 12 August, 2012.
Out of More Than Ready mare More Than Pretty, Kauai Katie became a multiple grade 2 winner as early as anyone could, when she downed the Grade 2 Matron Stakes at Belmont Park on 30 September, 2012.
Again the mount of rider Rosie Napravnik, Kauai Katie opened up in the stretch to land the six furlong dash in 1 minute and 11.26 seconds, as Baby J and Seasoned Warrior finished second and third, respectively.
Going over two-turns for the first time, Kauai Katie prompted the pace in the Juvenile Fillies, but was reeled back to finish fourth.
"It wasn't a bad race. It was probably a little farther than she wants to go," said Pletcher. "She'll probably be best at sprint distances for now and this is a good spot to get started. If that goes well then we'll look at the ($200,000) Forward Gal (gr. II)."
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