Former Mike de Kock-trained SA bred star Gimme A Nother may have relinquished her seven-run unbeaten record but made a top-class North American debut after an eleven-month break in Saturday’s Gr2 $US225 000 Hillsborough Stakes run over 1800m at Tampa Bay Downs in Florida.
Having last raced on African soil when winning the TAB Gr1 Empress Club Stakes in early April 2024, Gimme A Nother flew to France in September 2024, before arriving in the USA in late November.
In training since early January, the now 5yo mare produced a top effort when second beaten three quarters of length by Chad Brown-trained Saffron Moon who got first run in the straight.
The Daily Racing Form reported that backing up her course-record performance in the Gr3 Endeavour Stakes last month, Saffron Moon found a huge opening in the upper stretch under Flavien Prat and powered home a three-quarter-length winner over Gimme a Nother.
Irad Ortiz Jr. who rode Gimme A Nother told trainer Graham Motion that the daughter of SA champion Gimmethegreenlight took a while to get going, but overall said he was pleased with the performance.
Motion reportedly also believes Gimme A Nother may want more ground.
“He said he had to wait because he was going to get fanned so wide on the last turn, and then it took her awhile to get going,” Motion said. “He was very pleased with her, he said what I said, she might want to go a little farther.
“She hasn’t run since April. It does make a difference,” Motion added “She was a little surprised by everything, she was a little spooked about things. It’s all new to her.”
Mike de Kock commented: “She looked well and ran a super race, showing she has what it takes to race at the highest level in the US.”
