Page 98 - NMHBA_Winter2022

KEENELAND
Photos by Coady Photography
Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G2)
Marking
Bernardini
Seventh Street
Hennsesey Smash
Roll Hennessy Roll
Some Smash
SLAMMED
Slammed, a 4-year-old daughter of the Bernardini stallion Marking, became the first New Mexico-bred Thoroughbred in 41 years to win a graded stakes when the filly scored a victory in the Oct. 8, $350,000 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G2) for fillies and mares at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky.
Trained by Todd Fincher for owners Brad King, Suzanne Kirby, and Barbara M. Coleman, Slammed covered 6 furlongs in 1:10.03, and her winning margin was a clear 6 1/2 lengths from Happy Soul. Florent Geroux rode the bay filly.
With her victory, Slammed became the first New Mexico-bred Thoroughbred to win a graded stakes since Bold Ego won the 1981 Arkansas Derby (G1). The filly was making her first start
in Kentucky off of a second-place finish in the August 28, $150,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap (G3) at Del Mar.
“Really, my only concern was getting away from the gate good and clean,” said Fincher after the race. “Last time, she slipped behind and it cost
her. So when I saw those turquoise blinkers jump out of the gate, I was very happy.
“I looked up after the first quarter and it went in :22 3/5 seconds, and I said, ‘If she gets beat we have no excuse because the fractions weren’t too bad,’” the trainer added. “She can go much faster, and you saw what she did down the lane. She had a lot left.”
Slammed was bred by Brad King and Todd Fincher. The filly is one of four winners from as many starters produced by Hennesey Smash, a multiple stakes winning New Mexico-bred daughter of Roll Hennessy Roll.
One of the leading jockeys in North America, Geroux was riding Slammed for the first time
in a race. The Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes was a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” stakes, offering the winner a starting berth in the 7-furlong, $1-milllion Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf Sprint (G1).
“She was good (away from the gate), just like she’s been in the morning,” Geroux said. “She’s
very professional and knows what to do out there. She relaxed very nicely in the middle of the race. As soon as I chirped to her a little at the three- sixteenths (pole), I had plenty of horse left and I just tried to keep her focused all the way to the wire.”
Before she traveled to California, Slammed was dominant against New Mexico-bred distaffers. All told, the filly has won nine of 12 starts and has earned $557,030. She has won a total of six stakes, including five against New Mexico-bred company.
Runner-up Happy Soul is a 3-year-old Runhappy filly racing for Gayla Rankin. A $50,000 buy at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Happy Soul has won three of nine starts and has earned $445,375.
Joyful Cadence ran third, seven lengths behind Slammed. A 4-year-old daughter of Runhappy racing for William Simon’s WSS Racing LLC and a $235,000 purchase at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the filly has won four of 14 outs and has banked $486,655.
96 New Mexico Horse Breeder
Slammed becomes first New Mexico-bred Thoroughbred in 41 years to win a graded stakes race.