Watch: Weeks After Maiden Claiming, Two-Year-Old Horse Worth $141,900 Shines at Grade 3 Equestrian Event

The equestrian world loves nothing more than watching a neck-and-neck race between talented horses. The Grade 3 race at the Saratoga Race Course on Thursday did not disappoint the fans, who got to witness a two-year-old filly beat out the fastest stallions on the block. The stakes were higher than ever, with $175,000 on the line at the 19th edition of the G3 event. It was meant to be a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for colts, but the filly managed to ace the test with a unique performance.

Gala Brand, owned by the Arnmore Thoroughbreds and Even Keel Thoroughbreds LLC, displayed impeccable speed in the Grade 3 race on August 31. She was supposed to run against the female contenders on August 30 in the off-the-turf P.G. Johnson competition. However, the horse’s iconic trainer decided to put her on Thursday’s event, and she did not let him down.

Gala Brand’s spectacular victory

Equestrian Hall of Famer trainer Bill Mott put his faith in Gala Brand when moving her over to the graded race. Mott had ample confidence owning to the remarkable performance of the horse in her debut race on August 3. He watched in awe as Gala Brand and jockey Jose L. Ortiz shot out from the last place to the first in the final stretch of the event. The New York Racing Association uploaded the video on X with a tweet, “2YO GALA BRAND beats the boys! The daughter of @HillnDaleFarm stallion Violence, takes the Grade 3 With Anticipation under”. The video showed a pack of horses racing up the rail when Gala Brand started to recover ground.

Carson’s Run and Gala Brand were “head and head for the wire,” but the latter quickly asserted her dominance. She crossed the finishing line first as the announcer yelled “…and beats the boys” in wild jubilation. Gala Brand’s performance has gladdened the trainer, the jockey, and the equestrian fans.

Two-year-old filly’s triumphs delights equestrian world

After the race, trainer Bill Mott said, “I owe a lot to her”. He was happy that Gala Brand had received the nomination for the race and prevailed in it. Her competitors were all previous graded stakes winners, but she outdid each of the seven male counterparts. Mott felt surprised that the horse had managed to win her first career stakes against champions. Her jockey, Jose Ortiz, was also happy with Gala Brand’s performance, which gave him his third victory in the stakes.

Read More: Years After Facing Tragic Fate at Popular Equestrian Race, Hall of Fame Racehorse Reburied in Home Soil

Ortiz praised the filly, saying, “The main thing first time going long was to keep her in good rhythm and just let her be and that’s what I did”. Gala Brand returned $7.80 on a $2 win ticket, making the equestrian fans who bet on her very happy. She earned $96,250 in personal earnings for her owners, making it a significant win for all involved.

Watch This Story: After a Freak Accident Left Him in the Dirt, Equestrian Worth $45,000,000 Diagnosed With ‘Non Critical’ Fracture in His Neck