Flint Hopes to Be Back for Kentucky Oaks with Seaneen Girl

Nov 25, 2012 Travers Manley

Seaneen Girl’s upset victory in Saturday’s Golden Rod (Grade II) at Churchill Downs had trainer Bernie Flint thinking about the First Friday in May on Sunday morning.

“They’re going to run the (Kentucky) Oaks (GI) here (at Churchill Downs) and she loves the place,” Flint said. “She’s second in (Road to the Kentucky Oaks) points (behind Executiveprivilege) and she’s just coming around. (Her win) meant a lot to me at this stage of the game. I’ve always been a filly specialist and it’d be great if I could win the Oaks.”

Naveed Chowhan’s Seaneen Girl won the Golden Rod at odds of 31-1, which makes her the highest-priced winner since Sequent won the race in 1962 at 96-1.

'No one told her that she’s not supposed to run with those kinds of horses and I sure didn’t tell her,” Flint said.

At 72-year-olds, Flint said having a filly like Seaneen Girl in the barn is a reason to stay in the game.

“I’ll stay around as long as I want to do it and having a good one like her makes you want to stay in the game,” Flint said. “It gives you something to live for. I’ve been doing this all my life and you look for those kind and they don’t come around easily.”

Flint said Seaneen Girl, a 2-year-old chestnut daughter of Spring At Last, exited the Golden Rod in fine form.

“She’s doing great and she ate up everything,” Flint said. “We’ll take her to the Fair Grounds and look at the Silverbulletday (on Jan. 19), but if we have to ship, we’ll ship. She’s at the top of her game.” 

Seaneen Girl defeated favored Gal About Town in the Golden Rod and she could face that filly again if she does run in the Silverbulletday.

“She came out of the race good,” trainer Bret Calhoun said. “She ran well, but we’re disappointed she didn’t win. She’ll leave for the Fair Grounds on Monday and the Silverbulletday will most likely be her next start.”

Gal About Town will be joined on the trip to New Orleans by Tour Guide, who won Saturday’s seventh race by 4 ½ lengths.

“We’ve always liked this horse and he ran very well,” Calhoun said. “He’ll come to the Fair Grounds, but I’m not sure what we’ll do with him yet.”

TOP THREE FROM KY JOCKEY CLUB IN GOOD ORDER, READY TO HEAD SOUTH – In Saturday’s 86^th running of the Kentucky Jockey Club (GII), Uncaptured defeated Frac Daddy by a neck after a thrilling stretch run and both of those precocious 2-year-olds and third-place finisher Dewey Square were in good order Sunday morning.

“He came out great, thank goodness, other than a few cuts on his legs that I think he got at the start, where he got banged around pretty good,” Uncaptured’s trainer Mark Casse said. “He’s going to go to Palm Meadows and get a little bit of a break there. I’ll sit down with Mr. (John) Oxley (owner) and we’ll map out probably three races to get him to the Kentucky Derby. I just don’t know which three they’ll be.”

Ken McPeek’s assistant trainer Phil Bauer reported Magic City Thoroughbred Partners’ Frac Daddy came out of the race well and would soon make his way to south Florida. Bauer said Hitechnoweenie, winner of Saturday’s fifth race, would likely join Frac Daddy in Florida, while Pure Fun, 9 ¼-length winner of the second race, could go to Florida or Oaklawn Park.

Siena Farms LLC’s Dewey Square, who was 1 ¼ lengths behind Frac Daddy in third, came out of the Kentucky Jockey Club in fine form, according to Dale Romans’ assistant trainer Baldemar Bahena. He is scheduled to make his way to Florida soon and will be stabled at Palm Meadows or Gulfstream Park, where he will be joined by Gulfport, 2 ¾-length winner of Saturday’s 10^th race.  

MEMBERS OF CHURCHILL DOWNS JOCKEY COLONY MAKE WINTER PLANS – The 21-day Fall Meet at Churchill Downs comes to an end Sunday and that means the members of the local jockey colony will disperse throughout the country to ride at other racetracks this winter.

 Jockeys expected to ride at Gulfstream Park include Corey Lanerie, Joe Rocco Jr., Jesus Castanon, David Cohen and Robby Albarado.

Riders moving their tack to Fair Grounds include Shaun Bridgmohan, Miguel Mena, Brian Hernandez Jr. and Leandro Goncalves.

Those expected to ride at Oaklawn include Calvin Borel, Jon Court, Terry Thompson and John McKee.

Victor Lebron and Ramon Vazquez will ride the Holiday Meet at Turfway Park and then move their tack to Oaklawn. Marcelino Pedroza Jr. will ride at Tampa Bay Downs.