2013 Gardenia Stakes; Groupie Doll Is Back On Track

2013 Gardenia Stakes; Groupie Doll Is Back On Track:  The 2013 (GIII) Gardenia Stakes is set for Saturday, August 10th at Ellis Park in Henderson, Kentucky for fillies and mares three-years-old and up at one mile on the conventional dirt track. The race is named after the flower the Gardenia which makes up the garland the winning filly or mare is draped in.

The fan favorite Groupie Doll is the main headliner here in a field of twelve. Groupie Doll is trained by Buff Bradley and was the winner of the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. She has been working forwardly in the past few weeks at Churchill Downs and is looking to score again in the 2013 Gardenia Stakes. The beautiful daughter of Bowman’s Band won this race as a 3-year-old in 2011 and is back to take on eleven rivals to start her 2013 racing schedule.

Groupie Doll is co-owned by Buff Bradley with his father Fred, Cary Hurst and Brent Burns. Groupie Doll was bred in Kentucky by the Bradley family out of the Silver Deputy mare Deputy Doll. After a stellar 2012 campaign, last out she lost by a nose to Stay Thirsty in the (GI) Cigar Mile on November 24, 2012 and was given some time off to “re-group.”

William “Buff” Bradley, who confirmed Groupie Doll will ship to Ellis Park early Saturday morning, talked to Lady and The Track about the upcoming Gardenia Stakes saying, “Groupie Doll is ready for the Gardenia at Ellis Park on Saturday. I’m very comfortable with her fitness level.”

In regards to Groupie Doll’s time off, Buff Bradley stated, “Even when her blood work was off, she always did everything she was supposed too. Looking back, she wasn’t at her best. She just wasn’t into it.” Buff Bradley added, “We never really had a set plan on when we would enter Groupie Doll in another race. We just figured we would race her when she was ready, and that race just happens to be the Gardenia.”

Groupie Doll’s workouts prove that she’s more than ready to enter the 2013 Gardenia Stakes. Buff Bradley said, “Groupie Doll has been training wonderfully. We figured entering the Gardenia is better than just working her.”

Trainer Buff Bradley talked very highly of Groupie Doll’s demeanor on the racetrack explaining, “She just stands there on the track. She doesn’t blink or even move a muscle for 10-15 minutes before she trains. She quietly watches the other horses run, maybe even communicating with them.” Buff Bradley affectionately added, “Groupie Doll is a laid back horse. She really seems to enjoy herself and her time out of the stall.”

Groupie Doll’s fans aren’t the only ones that adore her. She’s said to be the most spoiled mare at the William Buff Bradley barn. Buff Bradley added, “Groupie Doll can hear a peppermint wrapper better than anyone!”

Ellis Park is a special place for Buff Bradley. He began racing at the Kentucky track in 1994 and holds two records there. He proudly displays a photo in the Buff Bradley Thoroughbred Racing office of his father and grandfather taken in the Winner’s Circle at Ellis Park (then called Dade Park) in 1938 when his father was only seven-years-old.

The 2013 Gardenia Stakes will put Groupie Doll on track for the 2013 edition of the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. She recently breezed a half mile Friday morning August 2, 2013 in 48.00 seconds at Churchill Downs where she was fastest of 16, 1/16. Groupie Doll has won nine of 17 starts and finished in the money 15 times with earnings of $1,657,850. She will exit from post #2 with Rajiv Maragh in the irons again.

Groupie Doll is one of my personal favorites and my top pick to win the 2013 Gardenia Stakes. This looks to be a fun and exciting race as I have been waiting to see this filly back in training and racing again. Bradley gave her some time off to rest and play with her retired buddy Brass Hat who has been keeping her in shape running around the fields. She is fit, feisty and ready to run. I also like that Ellis Park is the family’s home-town track as Fred Bradley loves it there. If Groupie Doll fires Saturday and is in form, watch out folks, this gal is gonna be blowing up the track again this year!

My other two picks are Ice Cream Silence and Devious Intent. Trainer G.W. Humphrey, Jr. sends in his homebred four-year-old Street Sense filly Ice Cream Silence, who is trained by George “Rusty” Arnold. She won her first stakes race of the year on April 19th in the Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare Stakes (GIII) and recently finished fourth in the Fleur de Lis Handicap (GII) and seventh in the Arlington Matron (GIII). I think Ice Cream Silence is ready to score again and can hit the board breaking from post #3 with Brian Hernandez, Jr. on board.

Devious Intent, the Dixie Union mare trained by Kellyn Gorder, is coming off two runner-up finishes at 6F and a win in last year’s Genesis Stakes at Delta Downs. She may relish the added distance here in the Gardenia. Devious Intent breaks from post #9 with Roberto Morales in the saddle.

I’m going with Groupie Doll to win here in the 2013 Gardenia Stakes with Ice Cream Silence and Devious Intent coming in behind her in no particular order. Groupie Doll is just getting back into action and we’ll see if she can bring home a second win here at Ellis Park on Saturday. Good luck to all of the ladies and their connections. Run safe Saturday!

The 2013 Gardenia Stakes is the 8th race on a card of 9 for this Saturday with post-time set at 4:10 PM EDT.

2013 Gardenia Stakes Post Positions & Odds
1. Awesome Flower 12/1 V.Lebron/M.Maker
2. Groupie Doll 8/5 R.Maragh/W.Bradley
3. Ice Cream Silence 10/1 B.Hernandez/G.R.Arnold II
4. Dixie Strike 6/1 M.Mena/M.E.Casse
5. Assets of War 20/1 J.M.Johnson/N.J.Howard
6. Magic Hour 15/1 L.R.Goncalves/I.R.Wilkes
7. Itsabeautifulthing 12/1 J.K.Court/D.K.Von Hemel
8. Ciguaraya 10/1 C.J.Lanerie/E.Kenneally
9. Devious Intent 6/1 R.Morales/K.Gorder
10. Twice the Lady 8/1 R.Santana/S.M.Asmussen
11. Molly Morgan 15/1 C.McMahon/D.L.Romans
12. Sharp Sally 8/1 J.L. Castanon/T.Schuh
Updated Results: 9, 6, 2, 11, 3, 1, 7, 12, 10