Courtesy of the TDN

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
FORWARD GAL S.-GII, $200,000, GPX, 1-26, 3yo, f,
7f, 1:22, ft.
1–KAUAI KATIE, 120, f, 3, by Malibu Moon
1st Dam: More Than Pretty (SW, $210,412), by More Than Ready
2nd Dam: Pretty Livia, by Forest Wildcat
3rd Dam: Baby Jinx, by Crafty Prospector
($90,000 yrl ’11 KEESEP; $490,000 2yo >12
FTFFEB). O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Spendthrift
Farm LLC (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher; J-John R
Velazquez. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 6-5-0-0,
$588,000. *Full to Winding Way, GSW, $169,800.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–My Happy Face, 116, f, 3, Tiz Wonderful–Summer
Star, by Siberian Summer. ($35,000 yrl ’11 KEESEP).
O-Michael Dubb; B-Spendthrift Farm & Shawhan
Place (KY); T-Rudy R Rodriguez. $40,000.
3–Pow Wow Wow, 116, f, 3, Indian Charlie–Elusive
Bird, by Elusive Quality. O/B-Marylou Whitney Stables
LLC (KY); T-Nicholas P Zito. $20,000.
Margins: 5HF, 2 3/4, HF. Odds: 0.30, 4.80, 48.50.
Also Ran: Fusaichiswonderful, Spring Venture, Ashlee’s
Princess. Click for the brisnet.com chart, the
brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style
pedigree. Video replay.

Stonestreet Stable’s Kauai Katie (Malibu Moon) was bet down to 1-5 in the GII Forward Gal S. at Gulfstream Saturday and ran to the money. The “TDN Rising Star” assumed command soon after the break and made every pole a winning one. Fellow “TDN Rising Star” My Happy Face (Tiz
Wonderful) was second-best. “She ran the race we were
hoping for,” said winning trainer Todd Pletcher. The
fast filly may not see action for a while, however. “As
I’ve said before, the major summer goals for her will be
the Prioress and Test at Saratoga,” Pletcher added.
“She’ll freshen up a little for now.”

Kauai Katie reeled off victories in the GII Adirondack
S. and GII Matron S. following her eye-catching debut
at Saratoga. She was outrun by Beholder (Henny
Hughes) early in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies
and wound up fourth, but got back on track with a
powerful performance in the GIII Old Hat S. on New
Year’s Day. That effort was awarded a 101 Beyer Speed Figure and earned her 1-5 favoritism, especially with her main rivals coming off freshenings.

Breaking from the outside, the dark bay used her natural speed to clear the field for a :22.89 opening quarter. My Happy Face was tucked in on the rail in fourth, while Spring Venture (Spring At Last) raced three wide as they entered the turn. Jockey John Velazquez moved his hands on Kauai Katie and the favorite responded smartly, settling the matter in just a few strides en route to a daylight romp

“We expected to be in front, thinking that My Happy Face would show some speed, but I ended up on the lead straight out of the gate, so I let her do her thing,” Velazquez explained. “When I asked for more at the quarter-pole, she went instantly with ease, very impressive.”

Kauai Katie will likely rest on her laurels for now. “I’d say that’s it for her at Gulfstream, with the next two races at a mile and a sixteenth and a mile and an eighth,’ Pletcher confirmed.

My Happy Face was in striking position on the turn, but couldn’t make inroads on Kauai Katie in the lane.

“We are looking to run her long, so hopefully she
comes back good and we=ll take it from there,” said
Rudy Rodriguez, who conditions the filly for Michael
Dubb.