Turfway Park: Goldberry takes Holiday Inaugural
(Photo: Goldberry takes Turfway Park’s Holiday Inaugural under Rogelio Mirando. Coady Photography)
November 30, 2018 (FLORENCE, Ky.) – Karen Schaeffer’s Goldberry earned her first black type win Friday, taking the $50,000 Holiday Inaugural Stakes at Turfway Park by 1 ¼ lengths over Natural Wonder. Dreamin was another length back in third in the six-furlong race for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.
With Rogelio Mirando aboard, Goldberry was third in the early going but just half a length off the :22.17 pace set by Glamanation for the first quarter. Goldberry kept up that hot pace after taking the lead, clocking the half-mile in :44.74 and five furlongs in :57.05 before finishing in 1:09.92.
“We tried something new with her,” said winning trainer Marco Castaneda. “I think we made a mistake with her last time, chasing the speed (when she was third in a Churchill Downs allowance). So we took her back just a little bit, got her to relax, and she did really well, responded pretty good. I think she can go longer, too, if we get her to relax a little bit.”
Off at 5-1 as second choice, Goldberry paid $12.80, $6.60 and $5.
Parol was fourth, followed by Go Lady Jay, Miss Gossip, the 3-1 favorite In the Mood, Grand Prix, Picante Caliente, Glamanation and Country Chick. Melaleuca was scratched by her trainer. Bizzee Mischief and Miss O’Hara did not draw in and were scratched.
By War Chant out of Gush, by Empire Maker, 4-year-old Goldberry was bred in Kentucky by Flaxman Holdings Limited. Her record now stands at five wins and three thirds from 10 starts with purse earnings of $128,445.
