Unbeaten filly Gamine put the ‘WOW’ factor into Belmont Stakes day early with a record setting win in the Gr1 Acorn Stakes by no less than 18-3/4 lengths.
The US$1.8-million Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2YO sale topper bounced straight on the lead under John Velasquez and that was the last her rivals saw of her.
Gamine got a bit lost on her own when so far clear in the home straight but still ran the one mile in 1:32.55 – a new race record – and not far away from the track record of 1:32.24 set by Najran in 2003.
For the record Pleasant Orb (Orb) finished second and Water White took third but this race was all about Gamine.
“It was an amazing race out of her,” trainer Bob Baffert assistant Jimmy Barnes told the NYRA website. “Especially coming into a Grade 1 and for it being only her third start. Johnny rode her right to the way we told him to go. We told him to take advantage of her position and he certainly did.
“I wanted to see her run the one turn just because of the way she runs,” he added. “Two turns, one turn, she can handle either one. We’ll go home, give her a little time and see what’s next for her. I can imagine something at Saratoga.”
Gamine is the sixth Grade I winner and 70th stakes winner for Spendthrift Farm sire Into Mischief.