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Gentle Ruler looks to keep streak alive in G3 Fasig-Tipton Waya

by Najja Thompson

Gentle Ruler seeks her fifth straight win against a field of six in the Grade 3, $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Waya for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward going 1 ½ miles on the inner turf on Sunday at Saratoga Race Course.

A 4-year-old daughter of Colonel John in the care of conditioner Ian Wilkes for owner Franz Morsches, Gentle Ruler kicked off her campaign with a victory to break her maiden in her 12th career start last March at Gulfstream Park and has remained unbeaten since. Following up with an allowance win on April 24 at Keeneland, she next captured a pair of stakes victories in the Keertana on May 25 at Churchill Downs and her first graded stakes victory last out in the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial on July 6 at Delaware Park.

"She's finally learned how to race with confidence and really matured throughout this year," said Wilkes. "We've seen her development over time and she's really in good form at the moment. She's shipped here well and settled in well, so we're excited to run her Sunday."

Drawing the outermost post 6, Gentle Ruler will be ridden by Chris Landeros.

Saratoga meet leading trainer Chad Brown will saddle a pair of talented runners in multiple graded-stakes winner Santa Monica for R Unicorn Stable and Fools Gold for Wise Racing.

A 6-year-old British-bred Mastercrafsman bay, Santa Monica enters the Waya off back-to-back graded stakes wins in the Grade 3 Orchid last March at Gulfstream and the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay on May 4 at Belmont.

"She's been training exceptionally well and appreciates the distance, so we decided to enter her in this race," said Brown. "Last year, she finished a game second in the [Grade 2] Glens Falls, so she has experience over the turf course and she appreciates the longer distances. She's coming into this race in good form, so we just hope she runs her race."

Fools Gold, a 4-year-old Medaglia d'Oro filly, finished second in the River Memories on July 5 at Belmont Park at the Waya mile and a half distance. Staring her year with an optional-claiming victory in February at Gulfstream Park, she has since finished second in the Powder Break at Gulfstream and run third in the Miss Liberty on May 26 at Monmouth Park.

"This is a filly that has been progressing in her training," said Brown. "I think she appreciated going a mile and a half in the River Memories. Although she didn't win, it was certainly good experience for her heading into the Waya now."

Fools Gold, Drawing post 2 will be ridden by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano.

Rounding out the field is Get Explicit [Ricardo Santana, Jr., Post 1]; Theodora for Augustin Stable and conditioner Michael Dickinson [Joe Bravo, Post 3] and Sky Full of Stars [Joel Rosario, post 5].

The Fasig-Tipton Waya is slated as Race 5 on Sunday's 11-race card. First post is 1 p.m.