From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, Calif. (March 31, 2019)–Under a powerful hand ride from Joel Rosario, Gypsy Blu rallied late to take Sunday’s $100,000 Irish O’Brien Stakes by a half-length. Trained by Mark Glatt, the 5-year-old California-bred mare by Papa Clem got 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course in 1:12.59.
Unbeaten in her last two starts, both of them down the hill coming into today, Gypsy Blue had two horses beat leaving the half mile pole, but was on the move at the dirt crossing and looked a winner from the top of the lane home.
Although Rosario was forced to miss several earlier mounts due to travel obstacles returning from Dubai, he was on time in every respect for today’s O’Brien, as Gypsy Blu was off as the 3-1 second choice in a field of 11 California-bred or sired fillies and mares and paid $8.40, $3.40 and $3.00.
Owned by Philip Wood and Jim Hailey, Gypsy Blu is out of the In Excess mare Salty Fries. Lightly raced, Gypsy Blu, in her first stakes assignment picked up her fifth win from eight starts and with the winner’s share of $60,000, increased her earnings to $169,395.
S Y Sky, who stalked the early pace while a close third to the dirt crossing, made the lead a furlong out but couldn’t match strides with the winner late.
Off as the 4-5 favorite with Joel Rosario, she paid $2.60 and $2.40.
X S Gold, who was ridden by Kent Desormeaux, was off at 10-1 and paid $5.00 to show.
Fractions on the race were 21.98, 44.15 and 1:06.76.
The Irish O’Brien is part of the lucrative Golden State Series which is sponsored by the CTBA and is for California-bred or sired fillies and mares.