Gerrymander faces impressive Pletcher trio in $150K Tempted

by Ryan Martin

While many of the nation’s leading 2-year-old fillies have taken their show on the road for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar, a group of talented rising stars will assemble for Friday’s $150,000 Tempted going a one-turn mile at Belmont Park.

The Tempted, which will have its 45th running, has been a stopping point for plenty of 2-year-old fillies en route to stellar careers. Last year, Shadwell Stables’ Malathaat captured the Tempted in her stakes debut before ultimately winning three Grade 1 races during her sophomore campaign. Subsequent Breeders’ Cup Distaff victress Stopchargingmaria won the 2013 Tempted before going on to win seven more graded stakes events. Brereton Jones’ Believe You Can captured the Tempted 10 years ago before winning the following year’s Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks. 

Among the quality field drawn for this year’s Tempted is Klaravich Stables’ Gerrymander, who arrives off a runner-up effort in the Grade 1 Frizette behind undefeated Echo Zulu. Trained by Chad Brown, the daughter of leading sire Into Mischief tracked a close second to Echo Zulu’s swift fractions and maintained second position throughout, finishing 7 ½ lengths back to the runaway winner.

After a distant second to Velvet Sister in June on debut, Gerrymander made her second career start a winning one with a half-length score in August at Saratoga.

“The Breeders’ Cup is coming up a really tough race and for right now, I would like to avoid some of those top fillies for the time being,” Brown said. “If our filly keeps developing then maybe we’ll try them again in the spring.”

Eric Cancel will pilot Gerrymander from post 8.

Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher will be well represented with a trio of blue-blooded fillies as he targets his seventh Tempted score. Among his arsenal is last-out maiden winner Sweet as Pie for Coolmore partners Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Westerberg.

The gray or roan daughter of Tapit came under heavy coaxing around the far turn of her winning debut effort on October 8 at Belmont, establishing control inside the final furlong to win by 1 ¼ lengths.

“I thought it was a professional debut on the rail from a filly that looks like she wants to go further,” Pletcher said. “To do what she did first time out was very pleasing. We expected her to run well. When she drew the one-hole I was a little concerned, but fortunately she was able to overcome that.”

Sweet as Pie, bought for $490,000 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton October Sale, is out of the stakes-winning Smart Strike mare Treasuring, making her a direct descendant of influential broodmares Better Than Honour and Best In Show.

Breaking from the inside post, Sweet as Pie will be ridden by Jose Lezcano.

Nest enters off a sharp debut victory going 1 1/16 miles on September 25 at Belmont Park. The daughter of Curlin, owned by Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House, won by five lengths garnering a 70 Beyer Speed Figure.

Out of the stakes-winning A.P. Indy mare Marion Ravenwood, Nest is a full-sister to Grade 1-winner Idol.

“To win going long first time out isn’t easy to do and I thought she looked impressive,” Pletcher said.

Nest will be ridden by Dylan Davis from post 7.

Pletcher also sends out Red Oak Stable homebred Goddess of Fire, a half-sister to Grade 1-winner Mind Control, who cuts back to one mile after finishing third in the Grade 3 Pocahontas at Churchill Downs going a two-turn mile-and-a-sixteenth. The daughter of Mineshaft won on debut going 6 ½ furlongs on the Saratoga main track, winning by a neck.

Pletcher did not express much concern with cutting back in distance and added that a good effort would likely result in a start in the Grade 2, $250,000 Demoiselle on December 4 at Aqueduct.

“I think it’s okay. She’s a two-turn mile-and-an-eighth type of filly, but it’s a nice segue into the Demoiselle,” Pletcher said.

Kendrick Carmouche will pilot Goddess of Fire from post 2.

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey will be in pursuit of his fourth Tempted triumph as he saddles Phipps Stable homebred Surprisingly. The daughter of undefeated first crop sire Mastery was a three-quarter length winner on debut going 5 ½ furlongs on September 24 at Monmouth Park.

“She’s been begging to go further,” McGaughey said. “It’s a big step forward from her win on debut at Monmouth, but her last two breezes have been really good.”

Surprisingly will leave from post 5 under Paco Lopez.

Completing the field are Magic Circle [post 3, Manny Franco], Red Hot Mess [post 4, John Hiraldo] and Morning Matcha [post 6, Frankie Pennington].

The Tempted honors Mooring Stable’s 1959 Champion Older Filly who captured the Beldame, Ladies Handicap and Diana that season. Trained by Hall of Famer Henry Clark, Tempted also won the Alabama as well as non-consecutive editions of the Maskette in 1958 and 1960.

The Tempted is carded as Race 9 on Friday’s 10-race program, which also includes the $100,000 Atlantic Beach, $100,000 Awad, and the $200,000 Ticonderoga. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern. 

America’s Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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