Gimme A Nother wins Beverly D

Steven and Jessica Jell’s Newstead Stables LCC celebrated a third consecutive US graded stakes victory for the Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein-bred Gimme A Nother, who produced a sustained late effort to win the $500 000 Gr2 Beverly D. Stakes at Colonial Downs Racecourse in New Kent County, Virginia.

Another SA-bred, Crimson Palace (Elliodor) won the Beverly D in 2004, when the race was run at Arlington Park.

The Sporting Post reports that trainer Graham Motion enjoyed a very decent double on the Arlington Million raceday, with Gimme a Nother and Roja winning the Beverly D. and Andy Guest Stakes, respectively.

“She’s a remarkable filly, and hopefully we get her back to the Breeders’ Cup.” Motion said following the hard-fought win by the Jell filly who was sent off an 8-5 favourite in the 1900m turf contest.

Gimme a Nother bided her time in fourth under jockey John Velazquez, about six lengths off the early pace set by Achieve, who was a winner of three straight against maiden and allowance company coming into this race.

The pacemaker kicked on nicely in the run for home and maintained a 1 ½-length advantage in mid-stretch.

But Velazquez had the Saffer outside rivals and rolling, and she prevailed late by a neck over Achieve, with Somethinabouther another neck back in third.

The winner clocked 1:54.28.

“I was not sure she was going to get there. Johnny asked me if I was nervous, and yes, I was, very,” Motion said. “I wasn’t sure she was going to get there, but she’s a remarkable filly.”

Gimme A Nother had a very special guest on hand for the win in Eric Motlou, who foaled her.

Gimme A Nother is a well documented fairytale as a third generation stakes winner formerly trained by Mike de Kock in her native South Africa.

Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, she is by champion sire Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready) out of the Tiger Ridge champion, Nother Russia.

Mary Slack purchased Gimme A Nother’s grandam Mother Russia from Klawervlei Stud as a dual Gr1 winner of the Fancourt Majorca and Empress Club Stakes.

Mother Russia duly rewarded her new owner with victory in the Gr1 Paddock Stakes and in what was arguably the highlight of her star-studded career, the coveted Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, a memorable occasion given that she thwarted the mighty Pocket Power’s bid of a fifth consecutive victory in the celebrated mile race.

There were high hopes for the champion daughter of Windrush when she retired to her owner’s Wilgerbosdrift paddocks as a four-time Gr1 winner. However, racing and breeding is fraught with incredible highs and the heartbreak that is the flip side, hence it was not just a cruel blow when Mother Russia died at age ten, her innings as a broodmare yielded just a single foal by Tiger Ridge.

Fortunately, that foal, a filly named Nother Russia, is keeping the dream alive.

Like her mom before her, she joined the De Kock stable but raced in the colours of Jessica Jell , who had purchased the chestnut from the Wilgerbosdrift draft for R550 000 at the BSA National Yearling Sale. She ended up a dual Gr1 winning eight-time winner.