Joe Labozzetta Photo

Wow Cat pounces to victory in G1 Beldame

by Anthony Affrunti

From off the pace, Peter Brandt and Stud Vendaval's filly Wow Cat was kept to task in the stretch drive before scoring by 3 1/4 lengths to win the Grade 1, $400,000 Beldame under jockey Jose Ortiz in 1:47.75 for the 1 1/8 miles on the main track at Belmont Park.

The victory by the 4-year-old filly by Lookin At Lucky was her first in the U.S. after making her state-side debut in the Grade 3 Shuvee on July 29 at Saratoga where she finished second a neck behind Farrell. She then followed up with a third place finish behind multiple graded stakes winner Abel Tasman and Elate, who finished 1-2 respectively. The Chilean-bred filly was perfect through eight starts as a 2-year old in her native country with three Group 1s to her credit before being transferred to trainer Chad Brown's care.

"It takes your breath away just looking at her, physically," Brown said. "We can't take any credit for the way she looks; she arrived this way. It took a while for her to acclimate. She was training really well heading into Saratoga. Not only did some extra time help her, I don't think she really cared that much for Saratoga, in hindsight. She never trained great once I got her up there. She trained OK. She got beat 10 lengths last time [in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign] by two really good fillies, but I didn't think the gap should be 10 lengths. She's really a top-class horse. She came to us undefeated. She's legit.

"She looked great. I was watching on a head-on screen in one of the boxes. I felt really good watching the head-on because Jose [Ortiz] was always looking around him and was well in hand the whole way around the turn. I had a good feeling throughout the race."

From the gate, Farrell was taken to the front amid the field of seven others under jockey Channing Hill and allowed to set the first quarter in 23.59 while being tracked by Come Dancing and Irad Ortiz Jr. who elected to rate off the pace-setter in the early stages. Divine Miss Grey sat third with Wow Cat in behind as Verve's Tale, Teresa Z, Berned and a trailing Dreamcall followed down Big Sandy's long backstretch.

The half-mile was clocked in 46.88 with Farrell still in the lead with the field in unison with the exception of Verve's Tale who began to make a move from the rear of the field under jockey Manny Franco. Wow Cat was wrangled into contention by Ortiz, and with three-quarters run in 1:10.64, Wow Cat was called for run, and progressed along the outside of the tiring Farrell, and Come Dancing who briefly too command approaching the stretch.

Wow Cat swept quickly to the front, and stormed through the stretch while Ortiz Jr. kept her focus on the wire switching to both left and right handed taps. The filly kept her margin after a mile timed in 1:34.85, and took the field to the finish as Divine Miss Grey came on for second a half-length over third place finisher Verve's Tale who held the same half-length margin over fourth-place finisher Teresa Z.

"It was amazing," Ortiz said. "She broke really well and put me into a great position. I knew we were going a little fast, but she was doing it easy. When we went to the five-eighths pole, I was right behind Irad, and there was nobody else, so I decided to take that position and ride her like the best. She was the best for today. Chad her her ready, She was there for me.

"The last time she ran against the best two mares in the country. The first time she ran in the United States, she needed the race. She was off a layoff, and she was good enough to run second. She came back and ran great. She's getting better and better. I think she's a really special mare."

Runner-up Divine Miss Grey, stepping up to face tougher competition in her first Grade 1 start tried her best to give her trainer Danny Gargan and her owners their first Grade 1 victory as well. Her strong effort left her connections proud of their filly who brought 10 victories from 20 starts to the gate in the Beldame.

"She ran tremendous. I couldn't be prouder of her, Gargan said. "To finish second in a Grade 1 with a sixteen claimer, I mean, it's such a blessing. She's such a class horse.

Wow Cat's performance could add her to a long list of starters in this year's Breeders' Cup on November 2,3 at Churchill Downs.

"I want to discuss it with the partners and Peter [Brant, co-owner] and the breeders, because the way she ran today, and the fact that she might just be coming around and getting climatized over here and really finding her rhythm, and finding a surface she likes...if she goes to Churchill and likes it, who knows. I'm open to it," said Brown.

Completing the finish in the Beldame was Come Dancing, Berned, Dreamcall and Farrell.

Sent off as the 6 to 5 favorite, Wow Cat returned $4.60.