Millionaire Fluffy Socks picked up her fourth graded victory May 18 as she pulled away from a small field in the $99,000 Gallorette Stakes (G3T) at Pimlico Race Course.
After consistently facing some of the best in her division, Fluffy Socks found herself in some easier company as a rain-softened turf course left her with only four competitors.
Settling in fourth about three lengths off the lead, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. sat Fluffy Socks behind a dawdling pace set by the pair of Blissful and Tequilera . After fractions of :25.60, :50.59, and 1:16.81, Ortiz called on the 6-year-old mare and she responded.
“Turning for home I just asked her and she did her thing,” Ortiz said. “I don’t think all the horses in the race liked the way the ground is, and she does. She loved the soft, it worked out perfect.”
Rallying in the middle of the track, the daughter of Slumber powered away to win by 7 3/4 lengths, stopping the clock for the 1 1/16 miles in 1:49.79 and paying $3.20 to win.
Despite being a heavy favorite, trainer Chad Brown was impressed that she was able to win the way she did given the pace.
“It was no given (with) the soft turf and slow pace, because she’s failed before at slow paces,” Brown said. “I was really proud of her that she was able to overcome that. … I feel now it’s time to step back up into a bigger race.”
The win was Fluffy Socks’ first in a year and sixth overall in 26 starts. Owned by Head of Plains Partners, she increases her career earnings to $1,263,580. With her victory, Fluffy Socks earned an automatic entry and travel incentive to the Aug. 18 Prix Jean Romanet (G1) at Deauville-La Touques Racecourse in France.
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