Sister Troienne making east work of the Ginger Brew Field, Gulfstream Park Photo
Gulfstream Park Press
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Woodslane Farm, Homebred Sister Troiennewinner of her last three starts as a 2-year-old, picked up where she left off in her sophomore debut with a popular 1 ¾-length victory in the $175,000 Ginger Brew on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
The 15th running of the Ginger Brew for rookie 3-year-old fillies completing a two-turn mile on the turf shared the spotlight with the $175,000 Mucho Macho Man, Gulfstream’s first step for 3-year-olds on the road to the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) on March 28.
With regular rider Mario Gutierrez on board, Sister Troienne ($2.60) covered the distance in 1:33.42 over a tough course for her second straight win after the Wait a While at Gulfstream on November 27, which rained off the grass onto the all-weather Tapeta course.
The victory had special meaning for trainer Brian Lynch, who not only continued his stellar start to the Championship Meet (11-for-27, 41 percent), but also trained Ginger Brew for owner-breeder Frank Stronach to multiple stakes wins, $970,311 in purse earnings and the 2008 Canadian Three-Year-Old Fillies Championship.
“It definitely is. For me it’s a lot of fun to do because I trained Ginger Brew,” Lynch said. “Like my son [Nick] getting older, who was a child when Ginger Brew was a young mare and is now my assistant, that puts everything into perspective.”
Sister Troienne was sent from the 1-5 favorite and was satisfied with second place with a long shot of 23-1 Weakness took the early initiative and ran the first quarter mile in 24 seconds, with R Slew of Cash taking third on the rail and Tideoftime tracking in fourth.
Gutierrez and Sister Troienne closed the gap but remained second after half a mile in 47.87, moving past the leader rounding the far corner and going clear through the stretch. Laigina came second, three quarters ahead of sister Troienne’s stablemate, Storm’s wake.
Tides of time, Bert’s gnarly girl And R A lot of money completed the order of finishing. Spirit Doll, decisive winner of the Our Dear Peggy on the October 25 course and distance, and Bayou Brigid were scratched.
“There are always anxious moments, but when everything at the back has kind of evened out and she’s in a good stalking position, they give you a little bit of confidence that she had the leader completely in her sights,” Lynch said.
“She ended up running in 1:33 and changing. It’s a legit time, and she looked like she did it comfortably,” he added. “She seems to be up for anything. She’s a big, healthy filly and racing doesn’t seem to cost her anything. If she continues to thrive, we’ll try to stay out of her way.”
Sister Troienne now has four wins and a third, starting from five with $300,509 in earnings during her debut in late August. She is a daughter of multiple graded stakes winner Munnings out of the stakes-placed Lemon Drop Kid mare Dyna Passer.
“We love it. This is her fourth win. She’s telling us something,” said Rene Woolcott of Woodslane. “We still have the mare, she is doing very well, and we still have the grandmother [Dynaire]. She is retired and works on the farm. We have the whole family. It’s nice that Brian Ginger also trained.”
Gulfstream’s next race for 3-year-old fillies on the turf is the $150,000 Sweetest Chant, which goes 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 31, followed by the $175,000 Herecomesthebride (G3) at a mile on Feb. 28 and $150,000 Sanibel Island, which sprints 7 ½ furlongs on March 28.
“She has a lot ahead of her,” Lynch said. “Hopefully she can keep winning like she always has.”
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