Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Michael Bernard, and Harry Colburn's Atomically, three months since making her graded stakes debut in the Breeders' Cup, returns to South Florida in an effort to rediscover her winning ways in the $125,000 Forward Gal Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park Feb. 4.
Bred in Florida by Tracy Pinchin and Bernard, and initially trained by Pinchin's husband, Jose, Atomically ran third in her debut last summer before notching back-to-back wins capped by a 6 3/4-length triumph in the FTBOA Florida Sire My Dear Girl Stakes in October.
An interest in the bay daughter of grade 1-winning millionaire Girvin was sold privately to Eclipse after the My Dear Girl, and she was moved to Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher and pointed to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Keeneland. Her first time facing open company, she raced with the forward group never more than 3 1/2 lengths from the lead before tiring to be seventh.
"I thought it was OK," Pletcher said of her Breeders' Cup performance. "Obviously that was against the best 2-year-old fillies in the country in a big field going two turns and all that, but she tried hard. Now we're looking forward to regrouping and getting her going again."
Atomically has been breezing steadily since late November for her return, which Pletcher had hoped would come in the one-mile Cash Run Stakes on New Year's Day at Gulfstream until being sidelined with a minor illness.
"She's doing good," Pletcher said. "We were planning on running her in the one before this and she had a little temperature, so it knocked us off course a little bit. We got a little delayed getting her started but she's been training nicely. She's had some success over the track, so I look forward to getting her started here."
Jose Ortiz will be aboard for the first time from post 3 in a field of 10.
Also looking to get back on track in the Forward Gal is Arindel homebred Lynx, who rallied to be third, beaten 2 1/4 lengths by Infinite Diamond, in the Cash Run. Lynx won the FTBOA Florida Sire Desert Vixen Stakes and FTBOA Florida Sire Susan's Girl Stakes last summer at Gulfstream before finishing second as the favorite to Atomically in the My Dear Girl.
"We're trying to get her back into her old form now as a 3-year-old," trainer Carlos David said. "Hopefully she can cross the wire first, but if not, she'll have it under her belt for the next race and will be a lot more comfortable."
Lynx is undefeated sprinting, winning at five, six, and seven furlongs by 7 3/4 combined lengths.
Jockey Joel Rosario, up for the first time in the Cash Run, rides back.
Ashbrook Farm and Upland Flats Racing's Red Carpet Ready, trained by Rusty Arnold, will be making her sophomore debut in the Forward Gal after going unbeaten in two starts at 2. She broke her maiden by 10 lengths sprinting six furlongs before registering a 3 1/4-length victory in the 6 1/2-furlong Fern Creek Stakes, both at Churchill Downs.
Godolphin homebred Twice as Sweet was a 6 1/2-length winner of the six-furlong Smart Halo Stakes last fall at Laurel Park in her stakes debut for trainer Brendan Walsh. Last time out, the Candy Ride filly ran fourth by three lengths in the Dec. 26 Letellier Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, also going six furlongs.
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, February 4, 2023, Race 10Entries: Forward Gal S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Flakes (FL) Edgard J. Zayas 118 Juan Alvarado 20/1 2 2Twice as Sweet (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 120 Brendan P. Walsh 10/1 3 3Atomically (FL) Jose L. Ortiz 120 Todd A. Pletcher 3/1 4 4Arella Star (KY) Miguel Angel Vasquez 120 Roderick R. Rodriguez 20/1 5 5Apropos (KY) Jorge Ruiz 118 James J. Toner 15/1 6 6Lynx (FL) Joel Rosario 120 Carlos A. David 6/1 7 7Undervalued Asset (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 Chad C. Brown 7/2 8 8Red Carpet Ready (KY) Luis Saez 120 George R. Arnold, II 4/1 9 9Positano Sunset (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 118 Ian R. Wilkes 9/2 10 10Adeliese's Smile (KY) Leonel Reyes 118 Jose M. Jimenez 30/1
