Girls Know Best went to the lead right at the break and came away a well-deserved winner of Saturday’s $175,000 Ladies’ Turf Sprint at Gulfstream Park.
The victory was the first black type win for the 4-year-old Caleb’s Posse filly, who finished second in the Abundantia S. on New Year’s Day at Gulfstream. Saturday’s win upped Girls Know Best’s record to 7-1-1 in 12 starts.
Girls Know Best was pressed most of the way by the favorite Blue Bahia, who seemed to lose her action with about a furlong to run. Just Talkin made a late run, but couldn’t get to the winner, who got the five furlongs on the turf in :56.45.
“I had a perfect trip,” winning rider Castellano said. “I had the speed, I was inside on the rail, I used her enough to secure my spot and dictate the pace, go to the lead and blow the field wire to wire. I felt like there was a horse that was going to go by, but I didn’t realize what exactly happened. I just stayed focused on my horse to try to get to the wire first.”
Saturday’s payday upped Girls Know Best’s earnings to $211,274 for trainer Eddie Kenneally, who co-owns the filly with Brian Chenvert.
With two crops racing in 2017, Caleb’s Posse had a winners’ rate of nearly 70%, leading all Second-Crop sires. He is standing this year at Three Chimneys Farm for a fee of $3,500.
