Sep 20, 2017
Chelsea Durand Photo
Held Accountable capitalizes on switch to dirt to win Joseph A. Gimma
by Brian Bohl
Chester and Mary Broman's Held Accountable made her first start on dirt a winning effort, going three-wide in deep stretch to overtake Pauseforthecause and Berning Rose to capture the 24th running of the $150,000 Joseph A. Gimma for state-bred juvenile fillies on Wednesday at Belmont Park.
Beaux Arts, the eight-horse field's 91-1 longshot, set the pace in the seven-furlong main track sprint, going a quarter-mile in 23.31 seconds and the half in 47.13. Pauseforthecause took the lead out of the turn with Berning Rose challenging along the rail. Under jockey Luis Saez, Held Accountable surged to the lead in the final furlong and outkicked Berning Rose to win by 2 ¼ lengths.
"We were very confident today that this filly could do this," trainer Phil Serpe said. "We were not surprised that she won this race. You have to be hopeful and we've always thought a lot of this filly."
"We were very confident today that this filly could do this," trainer Phil Serpe said. "We were not surprised that she won this race. You have to be hopeful and we've always thought a lot of this filly."
The Exchange Rate homebred won her debut on the turf August 17 at Saratoga Race Course but also trained well on dirt, prompting Serpe and the owners to try the switch. The strategy proved prescient as Held Accountable hit the wire in 1:25.27 to win her first stakes start and improve to 2-for-2.
"The last time she ran, she was a little green running on the turf, but today was a different story," Saez said. "She was rating well and when I had the opportunity put her in the clear she took off. It was the perfect distance for her. She broke pretty good and everything came together."
Off at 9-1, Held Accountable paid $21.40 on a $2 win bet. The homebred more than doubled her career bankroll to $133,800.
"We were at the starting gate with Mr. Broman, his farm manager Greg, and myself, and the filly was about to get her gate card," said Serpe about watching Held Accountable in Saratoga and deciding on the surface change. "She popped out of the gate and we watched her outwork two of our other 2-year-olds that were pretty nice horses in hand. We're all looking at each other, asking 'So, why are we running this filly on the turf first time out?" But, she had turf pedigree and we had another filly to run on the dirt.
"I would say [she'll stay on dirt], given that for 2-year-olds at this time of year, there really isn't a lot of turf races available, especially for the New York-breds until they turn three. I'll have to talk to Mr. Broman about it."
"I would say [she'll stay on dirt], given that for 2-year-olds at this time of year, there really isn't a lot of turf races available, especially for the New York-breds until they turn three. I'll have to talk to Mr. Broman about it."
Berning Rose, who won at seven furlongs in her debut August 30 at Saratoga, held off 6-5 favorite Newport Breeze by 1 ¼ lengths for second.
Pauseforthecause, Miss Mystique, Aunt Babe, Girl's Dance Party and Beaux Arts completed the order of finish.
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