Seeking A Native Seeks Win In Tai-Bo Stakes

It was a rainy afternoon when the seven fillies made their way through the post parade of race fifteen of the day here in Florida, the Tai-Bo Stakes (G3). The track was a forecasted yielding at the time the fillies took to the track with the light rain still falling and the stands and infield dotted with umbrellas.

When it was all said and done, Seeking A Native (Seeking The Gold x Green Desert x Raise A Native), owned and trained by domedriver of Afc Stables, prevailed over the yielding turf course. The seven year old chestnut mare, the oldest horse in the field this Saturday, was loaded into the third post position. When the field sprang out of the start gates the chestnut mare was settled back in the third position by jockey O. Barrett, and staked the two dueling pacesetters of the race, pre-race favorite Fandepgroom (Fantastic Light x Deputy Minister x Blushing Groom (FR)), owned by tenpin8 and the xssessiv trained Dubawi Quest (ENG) (Dubawi (IRE) x Rainbow Quest x Dixieland Band). Seeking A Native was rated about five and a half lengths off the pace of these two horses for the majority of the mile and one sixteenth race. As the field made the turn and came for home, jockey O. Barrett saw their opportunity and took the chestnut mare on the inside toward the rail in a hole that had opened up on the turn. The filly squeezed past Dubawi Quest (ENG) and was now gunning down the tiring Fandepgroom as the field dashed for the wire. Seeking A Native caught Fandepgroom in the final furlongs of the race and went on to win the race by half a length in 1:41 2/5 with a speed figure of one hundred nine.

Fandepgroom and Dubawi Quest (ENG) finished second and third in the race after a valiant effort, but their hopers were perhaps undone by the early speed duel. Fandepgroom, under jockey L. Buchta, maintained an early lead and led the seven fillies for almost the duration of the race before being nipped in the final furlongs and finishing just a half length back in second, though equaling the speed figure of one hundred nine posted by race winner, Seeking A Native. Dubawi Quest (ENG) finished third in the race and gave out on the win at the turn and finished four and three-fourths lengths back under jockey M. Wright.

Also rans for the Tai-Bo Stakes include: Purple Punisher, Made The Plans (GB), Can’t Hardly Wait, and Ebudae.