Gozzip Girl tells the tale

It has become clear that the females have taken over as the stars in thoroughbred racing this year, and the latest to strut her stuff is Gozzip Girl, a 3-year-old daughter of Dynaformer who overwhelmed a 14-horse international field in the Grade I $700,000 American Oaks on Sunday at Hollywood Park.

Gozzip Girl, ridden by Kent Desormeaux, pulled away in mid-stretch for a decisive 3 1/4 -length victory over Well Monied, completing the 1 1/4 miles on the turf in 2:00.22.

“She seems like she’s getting better and better,” trainer Thomas Albertrani.

Gozzip Girl won the Grade II Sands Point at Belmont on the turf in her last start and has won on dirt and synthetic surfaces in scoring her fifth victory in eight lifetime starts.

“She is very consistent,” Albertrani said. “She is very versatile. She can win on the lead and come from behind. She looks like she is getting stronger and improving all the time.”

Gozzip Girl is the latest Grade I winner produced by Dynaformer, who stands at Three Chimneys in Kentucky and was the sire of Barbaro.

Gozzip Girl joins the 3-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra and the 5-year-old unbeaten mare Zenyatta as part of a trio of exceptional females in training. A fourth outstanding filly, Life Is Sweet, figures to be the favorite in Saturday’s Grade I $700,000 Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles on the Cushion Track.

Desormeaux put Gozzip Girl in high gear at the top of the stretch and the rest was a demolition. She quickly ran away from the competition as the 2-1 favorite for Florida-based Farnsworth Stables.

“She really loomed up boldly and got to that first flight quickly,” Desormeaux said. “It was just a matter of picking a gap and giving her somewhere to run. I know she’s very talented, but she really ran fantastic today.”

There was another impressive 3-year-old on display Sunday, and that was Zensational, who won the Grade I $300,000 Triple Bend Handicap at seven furlongs by one length over Rush With Thunder, with Noble Court finishing third. Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Zensational became the first 3-year-old to win the Triple Bend since Debonaire Junior in 1984.

Zensational, a son of Unbridled’s Song, gives trainer Bob Baffert another Eclipse Award candidate. He trained Midnight Lute to the sprinter award in 2007, and Midnight Lute won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in 2007 and 2008.

“He’s so fast,” Baffert said. “He’s just a beast.”

Zensational ran the seven furlongs in 1:21.34.

“I like when they run like they train,” Baffert said. “It’s very rare. He just has that brilliant speed. He’s getting better, and he’s relaxing a little bit.”

There was one winning pick-six ticket purchased in Phoenix that paid $335,777.19.

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