2006 Ruffian Handicap and Gazelle Stakes

By Cindy Pierson Dulay, About.com Guide

The $250,000 Gazelle Stakes (G1) featured 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/8 miles around one turn of the main track in this major prep for the Breeders' Cup Distaff. Phipps Stable homebred Pine Island was the even-money favorite over 2-1 Bushfire in the field of six, with Wild Fit the 7-1 third choice.

Bushfire ran right to the front under jockey Edgar Prado and was loose on the lead through brisk fractions of 23.87, 46.92, and 1:10.70 while 7-1 shot Teammate and Wild Fit sat a length and a half back. Entering the stretch, Bushfire began to tire from her fast early clip, allowing Teammate to ease to the front with a furlong to go. Favorite Pine Island, who sat near the back early, was closing well and ran by Teammate with a 1/16 to go to win by a length in a time of 1:48.93. It was a long gap of 9 lengths to 28-1 Last Romance in third, while Bushfire was fifth.

Results chart from DRF