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Devil May Care scores in Mother Goose

Devil May Care flew home in the Mother Goose (Melissa Wirth/Horsephotos.com) Glencrest Farm's DEVIL MAY CARE (Malibu Moon) tracked to the outside of pacesetter and stablemate Katy Now (Tiznow) in Saturday's $243,750 Mother Goose S. (G1) at Belmont Park, commenced her run rounding the turn and held on for the 1 1/4-length victory under jockey John Velazquez. The Todd Pletcher-trained bay ran the one-turn, 8 1/2-furlong test in 1:42 over the fast dirt, moving her line to 7-4-0-0 and boosting her earnings to $549,000. Sent off the near even-money favorite in the five-filly field, Devil May Care bobbled at the break but Velazquez didn't rush her into contention. Katy Now moved up to take command, with Connie and Michael (Roman Ruler) just to her outside. Devil May Care gradually took up position beside that rival and the threesome made their way down the backstretch through splits of :22 4/5, :45 2/5 and 1:09 4/5. Devil May Care was moving well in hand and, as Katy Now began to fade exiting the turn, grabbed the lead. Connie and Michael also appeared to be backing up, but re-rallied a bit in the stretch while Biofuel (Stormin Fever) tried to run the top two down in the center of the track from last. It was a case of too little, too late as Devil May Care easily held that pair on the wire to pay $3.90, $2.70 and $2.10 to her faithful backers. "She broke a little sharp today, a little close to the pace," Velazquez said. "I didn't want to be that close to the pace, but with blinkers on, she was very aggressive. I had to play with her down the backstretch, give and take a little bit. Down the lane, I let her do her thing, she took the lead, and it was good enough today." Connie and Michael, the 5-2 fourth pick, gave back $4.20 and $3, and it was another length back to Biofuel, who returned $2.70 as the near 3-1 second favorite. The exotics were worth $16.40 (exacta) and $48.40 (3-4-1) trifecta. Katy Now and Ailalea (Pulpit) completed the order under the wire. "She's a very classy filly," trainer Kenny McPeek said of Connie and Michael. "I would have loved to win, but anytime you get Grade 1 placed, it's all positive. She's a good filly. The (July 24) Coaching Club American Oaks ([G1] at Saratoga) is a logical spot, and hopefully she'll be ready for the (August 21) Alabama ([G1] at Saratoga)."

Should Connie and Michael show up for those two Spa events, she could have the opportunity to turn the tables on Devil May Care, who is also under consideration for the CCA Oaks and Alabama.

All but one of Devil May Care's four career wins have now come against graded competition. She broke her maiden last August by 4 3/4 lengths at Saratoga and proceeded to take the Frizette S. (G1) over this track next out. The miss did not take to the synthetic Pro-Ride when trying the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Santa Anita, rounding out her juvenile campaign with an 11th-place finish in that race. She returned on February 20 to be fifth in the Silverbulletday S. (G3), after what Pletcher described was her extreme aggravation following issues in the gate, but got back on track when posting a 2 3/4-length triumph in the Bonnie Miss S. (G2). That particular win earned her a shot against the boys in the Kentucky Derby (G1), and the sophomore lass beat half the field when running 10th in that classic prior to this one.

"It was a big race from her, and I've always felt she was the best filly in her generation," Pletcher said. "She had shown us every sign (after her 10th in the Kentucky Derby) that she was as good as she had ever been. She trained brilliantly, like she always does. Aside from losing a little bit of weight in the Derby like most horses, colts or fillies, will do, she came out of it really well. It was just a matter of making sure we gave her the proper time."

Bred in Kentucky by Diamond A Racing Corp., Devil May Care passed through the sales ring twice, bringing $110,000 as a Keeneland September yearling and then RNAing for $400,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Calder two-year-old. She is out of Kelli's Ransom (Red Ransom), who has since produced a juvenile colt named Ransom Demand (Grand Slam) and a Posse yearling colt. Kelli's Ransom is also the dam of Regal Ransom (Distorted Humor), winner of last year's U.A.E. Derby (UAE-G2) and Super Derby (G2) as well as second in the U.A.E. Two Thousand Guineas (UAE-G3). The 11-year-old mare is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner and 2003 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) runner-up Minister Eric (Old Trieste), and this is also the female family of multiple Grade 3 queen and 2009 Canadian Broodmare of the Year Pico Teneriffe (Red Ransom), who is herself the dam of Canadian champion Marchfield (A.P. Indy).

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