Pondering has big ambitions in G2 Music City Stakes

Improving filly Pondering hopes to emulate her half-brother Think Big with G2 glory in the Music City Stakes at Kentucky Downs, USA, on Saturday, 6 September.

Think Big has enjoyed a breakout season in the turf sprinting ranks, winning the G2 Shakertown Stakes and G2 Twin Spires Turf Sprint, in addition to scoring over a mile in the G3 Kelso Stakes.

Pondering was seventh behind Immersive in last year’s G1 Spinaway Stakes but has built up a promising profile of her own since being switched to turf by Brendan Walsh, winning two of her last three starts.

After taking an Indiana Grand allowance race by five lengths in June, Pondering was caught close home to finish second in the Pea Patch Stakes at Ellis Park in July. She returned to the same course for last month’s KY Downs Preview Ladies Turf Sprint, in which she swooped from the rear to get up near the line.

Michael Banahan, Director of Bloodstock, Godolphin USA, said: “Pondering had a rough start to the year, losing her jockey in two consecutive races. She has shown her true talent with the addition of blinkers for her past three runs, especially with her Stakes win against older fillies last time out.

“Brendan is extremely pleased with how she has been training and was ecstatic with her breeze last weekend. He said she couldn’t be doing any better. It is a very competitive field, with G1 Test Stakes winner Kilwin the filly to beat and early season leading three-year-old sprinting filly Shisospicy, who maybe lost her way at Royal Ascot.

“We expect Pondering to be fighting out the finish as long as she takes to the quirky track that is Kentucky Downs. Leading rider Tyler Gaffalione returns to partner her.”

Siesta Key, who lines up in the Gun Runner Stakes on the same card, also ran on Kentucky Downs Preview Day at Ellis Park. The Brad Cox-trained three-year-old stayed on to finish third in the KY Downs Preview Nashville Derby.

The Into Mischief colt, who is out of dual G1 winner Cocoa Beach, started his career with two victories, following up a successful introduction at Indiana Grand last August with a nose verdict in the Kitten’s Joy Stakes at Colonial Downs.