Slammed headed to Filly & Mare Sprint off sharp win in Thoroughbred Club of America

Slammed made short work of her seven rivals in Saturday’s $350,000 Thoroughbred Club of America S. (G2), rolling to a 6 1/2-length decision, and confirmed herself as a serious contender for Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) over the same Keeneland oval on Nov. 5.

“I’m more proud of the horse than anything. I’m just the trainer,” Todd Fincher said. “The horses are the superstars. She’s a superstar and we’re just trying to stay out of her way.”

By Marking, the four-year-old filly will be only the second New Mexico-bred to run in the Breeders’ Cup, and Slammed earned a free berth winning the six-furlong race via the “Win & You’re In” Challenge Series.

Campaigned by Brad King, Suzanne Kirby, and Barbara Coleman, the frontrunning filly picked up the services of Florent Geroux.

Slammed sped to a short lead from the gate, establishing opening fractions in :22.75 and :46.02 on a one-length lead, and drew off stylishly through the stretch, finishing in 1:10.03. She was off as the 2.39-1 favorite.

“It was good (away from the gate), just like she did in the morning, very professional,” Geroux said. “She knows what to do out there. I’m very pleased for the opportunity from Mr. Fincher and the owners and my agent for getting me the mount. I was just the lucky recipient today on her. Very excited about her. She relaxed very nicely (in the middle of the race).

“You can tell on television, when their ears start going back and forth, it’s usually a good sign that the horse is taking their time and having fun out there. As soon as I chirped to her a little bit at the three-sixteenths (pole), I had plenty of horse left and I just tried to keep her focus all the way to the wire.”

A five-time stakes winner over New Mexico-bred stakes rivals, Slammed shipped out of state for the first time this summer, recording 5 1/4-length triumph in a Del Mar allowance. She made her graded debut in the Rancho Bernando H. (G3) on Aug. 28 and after recovering from a stumbling start, Slammed grudgingly yielded late to be a half-length second.

The classy filly kept progressing Saturday.

“You saw what she did down the lane, she had a lot left,” Fincher said. “She’s an awesome horse.”

Happy Soul chased throughout in second, winding up a half-length better than Joyful Cadence. Li’l Tootsie came next in fourth, and Club Car, Sconsin, Liberty M D, and Palm Cottage followed.

Bred by Fincher and King, Slammed is the third stakes conqueror, and first graded winner, from the four-time restricted stakes heroine Hennessy’s Smash, a daughter of Roll Hennessy Roll.