Tammy the Torpedo sinks rivals in Suwannee River

Saturday’s $150,000 Suwannee River (G3) was devoid of an obvious pacesetter, so 9-5 favorite Tammy the Torpedo took the early initiative and never looked back.

Joel Rosario hustled her from her rail post in their first pass of the wire, and that proved the decisive point. Once in control, he nursed the Chad Brown trainee along through steady fractions of :23.93, :48.58 and 1:12.50 on Gulfstream Park’s firm turf. Tammy the Torpedo accordingly had more than enough in reserve turning into the stretch, driving 1 1/2 lengths clear and finishing nine furlongs in 1:48.28.

Rainha da Bateria did well to finish second from off the pace, but fellow closer Habibi was arguably even better to come up just a head short of the runner-up spot. Not only did the New Zealand import rate as the 121-co-highweight with “Tammy,” but she also needs longer trips at this stage of her career. Yet Habibi made up more ground than Rainha da Bateria, while enduring a wide trip – and a bump. This commendable effort should set her up well for her next assignment, presumably over further.

Argentinean import Sweetie Girl ran evenly in her U.S. debut off a seven-month layoff, dead-heating for fourth with the winner’s stablemate, Light in Paris. The disappointment of the race was 3-1 second choice A Little Bit Sassy, who folded tamely and wound up last.

Campaigned by Long Lake Stable and Beacon Hill Thoroughbreds, Tammy the Torpedo increased her earnings to $254,710 from her 7-4-0-1 record. The dark bay was a smashing first-out winner as a juvenile at Saratoga, only to be eclipsed by star stablemate Lady Eli when third in the Miss Grillo (G3) and seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). Various setbacks delayed her return for virtually a year, but she ended 2015 with a score in the Tropical Park Oaks and made it two in a row on Saturday.

Tammy the Torpedo was bred in Kentucky by William B. Harrigan. The $100,000 Keeneland September yearling appreciated to $225,000 as an OBS April 2-year-old.

By More Than Ready, she’s out of the War Chant mare Search and Seizure, herself a half-sister to multiple Grade 3 turf queen Criminologist. It was a banner day for the family at Gulfstream, since Criminologist’s promising 3-year-old, Inspector Lynley, captured a turf maiden. Further in the family, one finds Carriage Trail, successful in the 2008 Spinster (G1) in track-record time on the old Keeneland Polytrack.

Photo courtesy Adam Coglianese Photography.