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Ginger delivers knockout Punch in Go for Wand Stronach Stables' homebred GINGER PUNCH (Awesome Again) had never won around two turns prior to Saturday's $250,000 Go for Wand H. (G1), but she silenced doubters with a resounding six-length decision at Saratoga. Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, the Bobby Frankel-trained filly tracked Teammate (A.P. Indy) in second through the opening six furlongs, dismissed the pacesetter leaving the far turn, and cruised through the stretch in dominant fashion, finishing nine furlongs over the fast oval in 1:49. "I had a little bit (of concern about the distance)," Frankel said. "I thought she'd be all right because she's such an easy filly to ride. She relaxes behind any kind of pace." "Mr. Frankel decided he wanted her in the race early," Bejarano explained. "I had so much horse at the top of the stretch. I think she is the best horse in the division." A five-length winner of the seven-furlong First Flight H. (G2) in her previous outing, Ginger Punch has now compiled an 11-5-5-0 record with $441,279 in earnings. She was favored at 6-5 on Saturday and returned $4.50, $3 and $2.30. Miss Shop (Deputy Minister), the 7-1 fourth choice among six entrants, closed late for runner-up honors and paid $5.70 and $4.10 while capping the $26.60 exacta. Teammate, who set the early fractions in :24 2/5, :48 4/5 and 1:12 4/5, wound up another 2 1/4 lengths back in third at 6-1 and yielded $3.70. The 5-2-4 trifecta was good for $93.50. Plaid (Deputy Commander), Soul Search (A.P. Indy) and 8-5 second choice Ermine (Exchange Rate) rounded out the order of finish. Ginger Punch needed four starts to break her maiden last year and didn't make her stakes debut until opening her four-year-old season with a runner-up finish in the Madison S. (G2) in mid-April. She easily captured an allowance at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day next out and followed with an excellent second in the Ogden Phipps H. (G1) two starts back, nearly catching Take D' Tour (Tour d'Or) before falling a neck short at the wire. The Florida-bred filly is out of Grade 2 winner Nappelon (Bold Revenue), who is also the dam of an unraced juvenile filly named Gold Revenue (Touch Gold) and an unnamed yearling filly by Red Bullet. By winning the Breeders' Cup Challenge race, Ginger Punch is guaranteed a starting spot in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) on October 27 at Monmouth Park. "The Breeders' Cup is a long way away," Frankel said. "You have to keep them sound. Strawberries today, jam tomorrow. Hopefully, I can keep her the way she is now and I'm sure she'll run in the Breeders' Cup." The Hall of Fame conditioner added that Ginger Punch will probably run only once before the Distaff, with the September 8 Ruffian H. (G1) at Belmont Park a likely option.
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