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Green Girl victorious in Suwannee River swan song Ronchalon Stable's GREEN GIRL (Fr) (Lord of Men) finished with a flourish to garner Sunday's $100,000 Suwannee River H. (G3) by a half-length at Gulfstream Park, closing out her career on a high note. At the same time, the six-year-old bay mare handed trainer Christophe Clement his fifth trophy in the turf event, and his third in the last four years. In the early stages, an aggressive Aunt Henny (Hennessy) took control and established fractions of :23 4/5, :47 4/5 and 1:11 3/5. Bel Air Beauty (Smart Strike), Waquoit's Love (Not for Love) and 2-1 favorite J'ray (Distant View) took up close stalking positions, while Green Girl was galloping in the latter part of the field. Green Girl began to creep a bit closer beneath Rene Douglas as she approached the far turn, but she had to steady on a couple of occasions. Turning into the stretch, J'ray challenged the longtime leader, but a now free Green Girl was also kicking into high gear even wider out. Although J'ray wore down Aunt Henny to secure a narrow advantage, she had no reply to the furious onslaught of Green Girl, who rolled past her and reeled off 1 1/8 miles on the firm turf in 1:46 3/5. The 5-1 third choice returned $12.60, $6.80 and $3.80. La Dolce Vita (Quiet American) got up in the final jumps to grab runner-up honors from J'ray by a nose. The 11-1 runner-up yielded $9 and $7.20 and ended the $71.30 exacta ($1). J'ray provided her supporters with $3.20 to show and concluded the $294.30 trifecta ($1). With Waquoit's Love checking in fourth, the 2-8-9-10 superfecta ($1) was worth $5,820.40. Herboriste (GB) (Hernando [Fr]) checked in fifth and was followed by Bel Air Beauty, Aunt Henny, Dance Away Capote (Capote), My Rachel (Horse Chestnut [SAf]), Mama I'm Home (Wheaton) and Monte Crystal (Per) (Surely Six). Eclisse (Fr) (Ski Chief) was scratched. Green Girl now heads to the paddocks with a 20-5-1-1 mark and $253,402 in earnings. As a sophomore in France in 2005, she was successful in the Prix La Camargo and finished third in the Prix Cleopatre (Fr-G3). Sent to North America last September, Green Girl checked in fifth in the Canadian S. (Can-G2) and sixth in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational S. (G1). She was then switched to Clement, for whom she finished fourth in the Long Island H. (G3) and a solid second in the La Prevoyante H. (G2) last time out. Bred in France by E.A.R.L. Haras du Camp Benard and Philippe Demercastel, Green Girl was sold for $140,753 at the Tattersalls December sale in 2005. She is out of the Slip Anchor mare Green Sails, making her a half-sister to French Group 3 victress Green Swallow (Green Tune).
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