Sweet Rebecca, a debut 3-year-old filly by American Pharoah, overcame a challenging start to win her first race at Gulfstream Park, earning the title of ‘TDN Rising Star’.
‣ Sweet Rebecca, a debut 3-year-old filly by American Pharoah, overcame a challenging start to win her first race at Gulfstream Park, earning the title of ‘TDN Rising Star’.
‣ Despite being forced to the back of the pack early on and showing signs of discomfort, Sweet Rebecca, under the guidance of jockey Tyler Gaffalione and trainer Brendan Walsh, made a significant move on the outside to secure victory.
‣ Sweet Rebecca comes from a notable lineage, being a full-sister to MGSW/GISP Sweet Melania and part of a family that includes stakes winner Sweet N Discreet, showcasing a strong pedigree and significant sales history.
Debut 3YO American Pharoah (@coolmoreamerica) filly, SWEET REBECCA ($8.80), made a huge move after a terrible start to take @GulfstreamPark race 10. A masterful ride by @Tyler_Gaff for trainer Brendan Walsh! @larrycollmus turned $2 into $61.90 with a score in the Pick 4! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/E33liatyzA
— TVG (@TVG) March 10, 2024
Oh boy, Sweet Rebecca really did make us sit on the edge of our seats, didn’t she? It was her debut Sunday at Gulfstream. And guess what? She became the newest ‘TDN Rising Star’. But, oh, it wasn’t smooth sailing.
Right from the get-go, things looked a bit dicey. Despite breaking with the field, she had to slam on those brakes hard. Why? Because of some movement to her inside. That move forced her to the back of the pack as they passed the wire for the first time.
Clearly, Rebecca wasn’t having any of it. You could tell. Brendan Walsh’s trainee started tossing her head around, visibly frustrated. Tyler Gaffalione, her jockey, had a tough time keeping her in check. They were pushed wide onto the backstretch, which didn’t help matters.
Racing outside of Past Tense (Ghostzapper), the half went in :48.44. Sweet Rebecca, stubborn as she was, kept tugging. Gaffalione, sensing her eagerness, decided to let her follow Past Tense’s move. This was as they began to bid on the leading pack around the far turn.
Then came the moment of truth. Swung off the rail to be five wide, with just a quarter to run, she found her stride. With clear running room ahead, she easily overtook the race favorite, Last Episode (Into Mischief). And just like that, she won, going away.
It’s worth noting, Sweet Rebecca wasn’t always the favorite. Nope. She was bet down from her 8-1 morning line. Yet, she’s the sixth ‘TDN Rising Star’ for her Triple Crown-winning sire. And get this, she’s a full-sister to MGSW/GISP Sweet Melania.
Now, let’s talk pedigree for a sec. Stakes winner Sweet N Discreet, also a full-sister to GSW/GISP Discreet Dancer and a half to GSW Travelin Man (Trippi), first fetched $1.1m at FTKNOV in 2011. Then, in a twist of fate, sold to Mt. Brilliant Farm at the same sale in 2019 for a whopping $1.6m.
On Twitter, the buzz was real. A tweet from TVG highlighted the incredible journey of Sweet Rebecca, a 3YO American Pharoah filly. After a less-than-ideal start, she made a stunning comeback at Gulfstream Park race 10. Kudos to Tyler Gaffalione for that masterful ride, and a shoutout to Brendan Walsh!
Larry Collmus turned $2 into $61.90 with a score in the Pick 4. Now, that’s what I call a win.
So, there you have it. The 10th at Gulfstream, a $70,000 Msw, on March 10, for 3yo fillies, over 1mT. Sweet Rebecca finished in 1:35.60, fm, winning by 1 length. A debut to remember for the filly from American Pharoah, out of Sweet N Discreet by Discreet Cat. With a sales history of $250,000 Ylg ’22 KEESEP, she’s now 1-1-0-0 with $42,000 in earnings. For those interested, you can check out the Equibase.com chart or the VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. And don’t forget, the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree is just a click away.
