Indian Blessing in full Bloom

The Baffert-trained Indian Blessing is making a strong push for consecutive Eclipse Award honors, as on Sept. 20th the 3-year-old filly turned in her routine brilliance with another runaway win in the $150,000 Gallant Bloom Hcp. (G2) at Belmont Park.

Ridden for the first time by Corey Nakatani, Indian Blessing was always forwardly placed in the 6 ½-furlong race – her first against older fillies and mares. She took full command of the race coming off Belmont’s sweeping far turn and accelerated away from a trio of overmatched rivals to hit the wire all alone once again. Indian Blessing’s margin of victory was 6 ¼ lengths, giving her three consecutive wins in major graded stakes in New York by a combined 18 ½ lengths – an astonishing average of more than six lengths per win.

Indian Blessing ran the Gallant Bloom in 1:16.24 over a fast track, earning her another gaudy Beyer Speed Figure of 109. She won the Test and Prioress, a pair of six-furlong Grade 1 events for 3-year-old fillies, in her last two starts and recorded 110 Beyers in each.

Owned by breeders Hal & Patti Earnhardt, the 2007 Eclipse Champion Juvenile Filly ran her stellar record to 10-8-2-0, including seven graded stakes wins and earnings surpassing the $2 million mark. Indian Blessing is by Indian Charlie out of stakes winner Shameful – both also campaigned as racehorses by the Earnhardts and Baffert.