Groupie Doll: All She Does is Win

March 17, 2012 marks the last time Groupie Doll did not visit the winner's circle. Since then, the filly has been unbeatable, forming a winning streak that has prevented her from losing for the rest of 2012.

Groupie Doll
Photo by Terri Cage

Despite being sidlelined for a minor injury, Groupie Doll dominated the female sprint division this year, capturing four graded stakes races - including two grade ones - prior to the Breeders' Cup by a total of 20 1/2 lengths. As the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI) approached, Groupie Doll appeared to be as close to a lock as any horse competing in a 2012 Breeders' Cup event.

Breaking from the ninth post in a field of ten, Groupie Doll was asked for speed in the early stages, racing on the far outside alongside the front-running contingent, though she was galloping along in sixth. As Teddy's Promise lengthened her lead, setting brisk fractions, Groupie Doll remained widest of all as the field began to gallop into the turn. 

In spite of her wide trip, Groupie Doll gained ground on the leaders as the Thoroughbreds rounded the curve, looming large on the outside as the field turned for home. In impressive fashion, the chestnut filly kicked clear, passing Dust and Diamonds as soon as the fillies and mares reached the top of the stretch. With absolute ease, the brilliant filly coasted to a 4 1/2-length triumph (the greatest winning margin of this year's Breeders' Cup), posting a final time for seven furlongs that was just one second more than the track record.

Bred, co-owned, and trained by Buff Bradley, Groupie Doll may not have the most breathtaking of bloodlines at first glance, but after a more efficient study, there is a piece of the cause for her success found in her ancestry.

Groupie Doll is sired by Bowman's Band, a grade one-winning son of Dixieland Band responsible for producing such stakes winners as Baltimore Belle, Roadhog, Ruby's Big Band, Seychelles, and Son of a Bear. Though Bowman's Band's stud career has been rather undistinguished, the success he has found is likely due in large part to his sire, Dixieland Band.  A son of the influential Northern Dancer, Dixieland Band sired more than 100 stakes winners.

Groupie Doll's dam, Deputy Doll, didn't have much success outside of Groupie Doll, but her own dam, Slick Turn, produced two black-type horses, including the black-type-winning Russellthemussell. Interestingly, Groupie Doll's fifth dam is the Reine de Course mare Flower Bed, the dam of multiple stakes-winning Flower Bowl who went on to become a powerful Reine de Course mare. 

Groupie Doll's broodmare sire is Silver Deputy, who won a graded stakes race in his brief, undefeated career before siring several millionaires, including the grade one winners Pool Play, Silverbulletday, and Spring At Last. As a broodmare sire, Silver Deputy has produced the dams of the likes of the multiple graded stakes winners Miraculous Miss, Preachinatthebar, Quiet Temper, and Roman Ruler. Silver Deputy is a son of champion Deputy Minister, a highly successful broodmare sire who sired the dams of such champions as Curlin, Halfbridled, and Rags to Riches.

Without a doubt, Groupie Doll was one of the true superstars of 2012 and certainly offered one of the best performances of this year's rendition of the Breeders' Cup. Her victory in the Filly & Mare Sprint will likely be looked upon fondly for years to come, as in her win, this filly - from the same family as Flower Bowl - showed her true class, putting on a show for racing fans as the blood of a regal Thoroughbred, descended from a line of quality horses of the breed, ran through her veins.

Groupie Doll winning the Filly & Mare Sprint
Photo by Terri Cage

Breeders' Cup Divisional Rankings 9/24/12

Countdown to­_­ Breeders’ Cup: 38 Days!

It’s inching closer and closer! Many divisions are shaping up to be very exciting and a few divisions have certainly been shaken up after this past week’s races. Yet again, several divisions were difficult to rank, especially the Ladies' Classic, which I believe should be run on Breeders' Cup Saturday the way it's shaping up!

Below is my second edition of my divisional rankings for all Breeders’ Cup races (as of September 24). I am now featuring five horses per division rather than four.

Photo by Terri Cage

Juvenile Sprint

1. Handsome Jack
2. Scherer Magic

3. Special Jo

4. Goldencents

5. Drum Roll

Marathon

1. Jakkalberry*

2. Eldaafer

3. Not Abroad

4. Brown Panther

5. Calidoscopio

Juvenile Fillies Turf

1. Sky Lantern

2. Spring Venture

3. Watsdachances

4. Spring in the Air

5. Funfair

Juvenile Fillies

1. Dreaming of Julia

2. So Many Ways

3. Executiveprivilege

4. Kauai Katie*

5. Beholder

Filly & Mare Turf

1. Snow Fairy*

2. The Fugue

3. Izzi Top

4. Zagora

5. Stephanie’s Kitten

Ladies’ Classic

1. Awesome Feather

2. My Miss Aurelia

3. Questing

4. Royal Delta

5. Include Me Out

Juvenile Turf

1. Dawn Approach

2. First Cornerstone

3. Balance the Books

4. Brown Almighty

5. Joha

Filly & Mare Sprint

1. Groupie Doll

2. Contested

3. Winding Way

4. Dust and Diamonds

5. Judy the Beauty

Sprint

1. Amazombie

2. Emcee*

3. Capital Account

4. Coil

5. Fort Loudon

Turf Sprint

1. Fire Lily

2. Bated Breath

3. California Flag

4. Caracortado

5. Strong Suit

Dirt Mile

1. To Honor and Serve*

2. Shackleford

3. Rail Trip*

4. Tapizar

5. Bourbon Courage

Turf

1. Nathaniel
2. St. Nicholas Abbey
3. Point of Entry

4. Dullahan*

5. Acclamation

Juvenile

1. Shanghai Bobby
2. Know More
3. Fortify
4. Micromanage
5. Noble Tune

Mile

1. Wise Dan*
2. Excelebration
3. Cityscape
4. Moonlight Cloud
5. Little Mike

Classic

1. Game On Dude
2. Mucho Macho Man
3. Ron the Greek
4. Fort Larned

5. Hymn Book

*may opt for a different division (if a horse's connections are considering multiple races, I will only rank the horse in a single division)

Breeders' Cup Divisional Rankings 9/19/12

Photo by Terri Cage

Can you believe it? In just 43 days, the Breeders’ Cup will bring to life a clash of titans of the Thoroughbred racing world at Santa Anita. It’s an understatement to say that I am very excited for this year’s Breeders’ Cup, at which I’ll be able to see some of the greatest horses in the world in person yet again!

Below is my first edition of my divisional rankings for all Breeders’ Cup races. I am certain things will change between this post and my final divisional ranking post before the Breeders’ Cup and could very well change after this weekend's races!

Juvenile Sprint

1. Bern Identity
2. Handsome Jack
3. Scherer Magic
4. Goldencents

Marathon

1. Jakkalberry*
2. Eldaafer
3. Not Abroad
4. Calidoscopio

Juvenile Fillies Turf

1. Sky Lantern
2. Spring Venture
3. Watsdachances
4. Spring in the Air

Juvenile Fillies

1. Dreaming of Julia
2. So Many Ways
3. Executiveprivelege
4. Kauai Katie*

Filly & Mare Turf

1. Snow Fairy*
2. The Fugue
3. Izzi Top
4. Zagora

Ladies’ Classic

1. Questing
2. Royal Delta
3. It’s Tricky*
4. Include Me Out

Juvenile Turf

1. Dawn Approach
2. First Cornerstone
3. Balance the Books
4. Brown Almighty

Filly & Mare Sprint

1. Groupie Doll
2. Turbulent Descent
3. Contested
4. Winding Way

Sprint

1. Amazombie
2. Emcee*
3. Capital Account
4. The Factor

Turf Sprint

1. Fire Lily
2. Bated Breath
3. California Flag
4. Caracortado

Dirt Mile

1. To Honor and Serve
2. Shackleford
3. Rail Trip
4. Tapizar

Turf

1. Nathaniel
2. St. Nicholas Abbey
3. Point of Entry
4. Dullahan*

Juvenile

1. Shanghai Bobby
2. Rolling Fog
3. Know More
4. Fortify

Mile

1. Wise Dan*
2. Excelebration
3. Cityscape
4. Moonlight Cloud

Classic

1. Game On Dude
2. Mucho Macho Man
3. Ron the Greek
4. Fort Larned

*may opt for a different division (if a horse's connections are considering multiple races, I will only rank the horse in a single division)

This year’s Breeders’ Cup is shaping up to be an incredibly exciting renewal! Each division is quite competitive and some – such as the Juvenile Fillies, Ladies’ Classic, Filly & Mare Sprint, Mile, and Classic – appear very contentious. Considering there is a multitude of horses I had to exclude (such as Stephanie's Kitten, Musical Romance, and Little Mike), it only strengthens my belief that this will be a very strong Breeders’ Cup. Its approach becomes more and more exciting each and every day!