Godolphin homebred Lovestruck won her first stakes appearance in similar fashion to her debut, staying off the pace before displaying a strong kick down the stretch to post a one-length victory in the $100,000 Tepin Stakes for juvenile fillies on turf Nov. 29 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
She is a half sister to the late multiple grade 1 winner and Ashford Stud stallion Scat Daddy, the sire of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify .
Lovestruck was a one-length winner at 1 1/16 miles on the firm inner turf at Saratoga Race Course Sept. 7. Trainer Bill Mott elevated the Tapit filly to stakes company for her second start, where she won at the same distance, this time on an inner turf course rated good.
She broke sharply under jockey Junior Alvarado from post 2, being forwardly placed in third position as 26-1 longshot Big Time Lady led the eight-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in :24.05, the half in :50.50, and three-quarters in 1:16.21.
Turning for home, Big Time Lady was kept inside by jockey Eric Cancel, but Lovestruck pressed on and overtook the pacesetter from the outside. Invincible Gal, piloted by Jose Ortiz, made a strong bid near the rail, but Alvarado set down Lovestruck to repel the threat and hit the wire in 1:47.14.
A stewards' inquiry focused on bumping at the head of the stretch between Big Time Lady and Lovestruck resulted in no change to the order.
"She's been ready for quite a while," Alvarado said. "We were expecting the kind of run from her that we saw today. There's still room for her to improve. She's still a little bit green, and when she got to the lead she was wandering around the track, which is fine. When she puts it all together, we'll get a little more from her."
Lovestruck returned $4.20 on a $2 win wager as the even-money favorite. She more than doubled her career earnings to $94,600.
"I knew she was going to be sharp, but I like to teach them to relax behind horses and have a nice finish," Alvarado said. "I didn't want to just let her go. Even though it was a slow pace, I knew I was close enough that she wouldn't have too much to do at the end."
Out of the Mr. Prospector mare Love Style, Lovestruck is also a half sister to grade 1-placed grade 3 winner Antipathy and black-type winner Grand Daddy. Love Style produced a weanling filly by Into Mischief in February and was reported bred this year to Tapit's son Frosted .
Invincible Gal, who was 11th in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) Nov. 6 at Keeneland, outkicked Big Time Lady by 1 1/2 lengths for second. The Graham Motion trainee has run second in three of her four stakes starts, adding to her runner-up efforts in the Sorority Stakes Sept. 7 at Monmouth Park and Selima Stakes Oct. 3 at Pimlico Race Course.
Island Treasure, Fifth Risk, Bravo Regina, and Lexinator completed the order of finish. Thursday suffered an injury with 5 1/2 furlongs remaining and was quickly put to a protective hold and pulled up by jockey Nik Juarez before being vanned off. She had to be euthanized after fracturing both sesamoids in her left foreleg, the Daily Racing Form's David Grening reported.
Lovestruck stays up and makes it two for two! @JuniorandKellyA brings her across the wire first in the Tepin for Bill Mott! #TheBigA pic.twitter.com/Hv6QN40fma
— NYRA (🗽) (@TheNYRA) November 29, 2020
