Millionaire Snaps 7-Race Losing Streak, Earns Trip to French G1
LAUREL, MD – Head of Plains Partners’ millionaire mare Fluffy Socks, already a three-time graded-stakes winner, added a fourth in dominant fashion to snap her seven-race losing in Saturday’s $100,000 Gallorette (G3) at historic Pimlico Race Course.
The 73rd running of the 1 1/16-mile Gallorette for fillies and mares 3 and up on the grass was the third of nine stakes, five graded, worth $3.3 million in purses headlined by the 149th Preakness Stakes (G1), Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.
For her victory Fluffy Socks ($3.20), favored at 3-5 in the field of six, earned automatic entry and travel incentive to the Prix Jean Romanet (G1) Aug. 18 at France’s Deauville-La Touques Racecourse.
It was the second straight stakes win for jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. following Frost Free in the $200,000 Chick Lang (G3), and the third Gallorette in a row and sixth overall for trainer Chad Brown, who won previously with Zagora (2012), Pianist (2013), Watsdachances (2015), Technical Analysis (2022) and Whitebeam (2023). Ortiz also rode Whitebeam.
Blissful, trained by Cherie DeVaux who won three stakes on Friday’s Black-Eyed Susan (G2) program, set an easy pace of 25.60 seconds while pressed to her outside by Tequilera, who took over the top spot after half in 50.59 while Fluffy Socks on the inside and Ascendancy raced side-by-side behind them. Tequilera still had the lead leaving the far turn, but it was short-lived as Fluffy Socks surged past and drew clear to a 7 ¾-length triumph in 1:49.79 over a turf course rated soft.
Five Towns, winner of Laurel’s Park’s Dahlia April 20 in her Gallorette prep, made a late run for second, 2 ¼ lengths ahead of Tequilera, followed by Blissful and Ascendancy. Sweet Dani Girl, Dana’s Beauty and Ninja Abarrio were scratched.
Fluffy Socks is a homebred daughter of Grade 1-winning millionaire Slumber, also trained by Brown. Winner of the 2020 Selima as a 2-year-old in her only previous trip to Pimlico, she had previously enjoyed graded success in the 2020 Jimmy Durante (G3), 2021 Sands Point (G2) and 2023 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2) last May, her most recent victory.
Gallorette retired in 1948 as the world’s leading money-winning mare, with earnings of $445,535. She won 21 of 72 starts and placed in 39 stakes, capturing the 1945 Pimlico Oaks and being named champion handicap mare of 1946. She was elected to the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame in 1962.
GALLORETTE STAKES (G3) QUOTES
Winning Trainer Chad Brown (Fluffy Socks): “I know she was a heavy favorite and she was supposed to do what she did. It was no given, given the soft turf and the slow pace. She has failed before at slow paces. I was really proud of her that she was able to overcome that. Irad really navigated his way off the rail and got her into good ground in the center of this course and she was really able to motor away. I feel now it’s time to step back up into a bigger race. She has been close in some very big races. She has been consistent, I will give her that. For a horse to have wins in our barn from ages two to six, is pretty impressive. Not all horses can stay healthy and have a sustained career like that.
Winning Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. (Fluffy Socks): “The ground is a little soft. I don’t think the other horses in the race, they liked it, the way the ground is. And she does. She loves the soft and it worked out perfect. I was going to the 3/8ths pole, waiting, biding my time and turning for home, I just asked her and she did her thing. It was a small field. Probably an easier spot (for her). I think that helps a lot. I think it helps picks up her head, and she knows she belongs. The last few races have been hard for her. The last time (6th in Jenny Wiley at Keeneland), I was sad after that because she always showed up. And that day she didn’t show up at all. It was nice today to see her back in the winner’s circle.”
Trainer Graham Motion (Five Towns, 2nd): (On first graded-stakes placing): “That’s what they really wanted to do, that’s why they sent her over here. That’s a big deal. The winner was impressive. I’ve run against her a lot, and she’s very talented.”
“We were a little anxious about running on soft ground. In England, they weren’t sure she wanted soft ground, but I thought she handled it pretty well. The grass is in really good shape. I mean it’s soft, but at least it’s in good shape.”
“I knew Fluffy Socks would be tough. She’s a tough mare. I thought she (Five Towns) ran great. No excuses.”
Jockey Jorge Ruiz (Five Towns, 2nd): “I saw the number seven horse the whole time and I followed her throughout. My filly ran really good from start to finish. Around the far turn, the 7-horse got away. My filly tried hard, but the winner was just too quick.”
Trainer Michael Matz (Tequilera, 3rd): “She ran good. She’s coming off a layoff. She ran good in Florida, but the distances were limited in Florida, so we kicked her out for a little while and this was her first race back in a little bit. She ran good. She ran real good and she got stakes-placed.”
Jockey Jairon Barbosa (Tequilera, 3rd): “I passed a couple so easy; at the top of the lane, I thought I still had a lot of horse. I was just waiting for the [Fluffy Socks], the big favorite, so when I see the No. 7 coming, I asked my horse and my horse responded but just not well enough. She’s a good filly.”