Indian Blessing: New tactic, same result in Test

The Bob Baffert-trained Indian Blessing had been nothing short of great in her young racing career through July, winning 6-of-8 starts while facing the best of her generation in less than a year at the racetrack. But if her performance in the $250,000 Test Stakes (G1) on August 2nd at the Spa is an indication of things to come, the 3-year-old filly could take her brilliance to another level.

A scary thought.

With John Velazquez aboard, Indian Blessing was routinely superb in the Test, dominating five rivals in a one-sided, seven-length tour de force. But it was the way she did it that made for a greater dynamic, as she displayed a style never seen before by Indian Blessing.

Through early fractions of :22.62 and :45.33 down the backstretch, the normally-speedy Indian Blessing relaxed wonderfully in hand and settled in mid-pack, this time allowing others to carve out the early pace. The champ ranged up professionally on the far turn and took firm command of the race turning for home, quickly opening up in the stretch and striding out beautifully and powerfully to the wire.

The final time for the seven-furlong event over a fast Saratoga main track was 1:22.70 – a time she only dictated in the closing stages of the race and not throughout . The new, more-settled Indian Blessing earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 111, one point higher than the 110 earned while winning the Prioress (G1) at Belmont in her prior start in July.

Indian Blessing is a 100% homebred for Patti and Hal Earnhardt, who also owned and campaigned the filly’s sire, Indian Charlie, and the filly’s dam, Shameful, under the care of Baffert. The Test victory moves Indian Blessing’s record to 9-7-2-0 with earnings just shy of the $2 million mark at $1,997,200. The reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Filly, she also owns wins in the Frizette (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at two and Santa Ynez (G2) and Silverbulletday (G3) at three.