Motion sending out Sparkle Blue and Queen of the Mud in G3 turf contest for fillies and mares

BALTIMORE – Trainer Graham Motion, who has saddled three previous winners of the $150,000 Gallorette Stakes (G3), will be bidding to add a fourth in Saturday’s 1 1/16-turf event for fillies and mares.

But, as Motion noted with a hint of laughter, “I think I won it pre-Chad Brown.”

Brown has dominated the race in recent years, saddling the three previous winners of the Gallorette -- Technical Analysis in 2022, Whitebeam in 2023 and Fluffy Socks in 2024 – and six total.

But Brown doesn’t have a runner in this year’s 74th running of the stakes. For the first time since 2021, when Motion’s Mean Mary won the race, it will be someone other than Brown standing in the winner’s circle.

Motion is sending out a pair of top contenders in Catherine Parke and Augustin Stable’s Sparkle Blue and Sienna Farm LLC, Michael E. Kisber, Peter Deutsch and The Elkstone Group, LLC’s Queen of the Mud.

The 6-year-old mare Sparkle Blue has won seven of 22 lifetime starts, including the Hillsborough Stakes (G2) at Tampa Bay Downs in 2024.

“She’s a hard-knocking, blue-collar horse,” Motion said. “She’s made over $1 million, and I think she certainly belongs in this company.”

Queen of the Mud, an Irish-bred 5-year-old mare, exits a second-place finish in the Monrovia Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita but has never raced beyond a mile in her nine career starts.

“We kind of had her penned as a sprinter last year, but I think this (1 1/16 miles) is well within her scope,” Motion said. “She’s a very straightforward filly in the morning and very generous in the afternoon.”

If neither of Motion’s two runners succeed, a host of other contenders in the nine-horse field could fill the spot.

Resolute Racing’s Dana’s Beauty is emerging from a convincing, 3 ½-length victory in the $250,000 Latonia at Turfway Park in March and has registered victories in 12 of 45 lifetime starts for $974,000 in career earnings. But the Latonia was run on Turfway’s synthetic surface, and only three of her career wins have come on turf.

“I wish it was on (synthetic),” said the 7-year-old mare’s trainer, Mike Maker. “But she’s as honest as the day’s long. We always lead her over there with a lot of confidence.”

Glen Hill Farm’s Ocean Club, a 5-year-old Curlin mare, won the Noble Damsel (G3) in September at Aqueduct. Trained by Bethany Baumgardner, Ocean Club has won five of 18 career starts.

Demeyko Taylor LP/s Charlene’s Dream, Buffalo Gill’s LLC’s Conquest Dancer, Dahman’s Three Havanas, Robert V. LaPenta & Madaket Stables LLC’s Way to Be Marie, and Belmar Racing and Breeding LLC, Bradley Thoroughbreds, Cambron Equine LLC, Tucci Stables and Gary Finder’s Austere complete the expected field.