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).