Birdie Gold (Photo courtesy of Gary Mandella @MandellaGary)

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf International Horse Profile: Birdie Gold

by Kellie Reilly

Although Birdie Gold comes to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) by way of Peru’s “Win & You’re In” – the June 25 Clasico Pamplona (G1) – the Kentucky-bred three-year-old has the potential to be better than her resume implies. 

She’s by Birdstone and out of Gold Revenue, a Touch Gold half-sister to 2007 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) winner Ginger Punch. That Eclipse Award champion is herself the dam of classy Japanese mare Rouge Buck, who just beat males again in the September 24 Sankei Sho All Comers (G2).

After RNA’ing for $22,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling, Birdie Gold was exported to Peru and joined perennial leading trainer Juan Suarez Villarroel.

As a Northern Hemisphere-bred who celebrated her actual third birthday March 3, the chestnut was constantly facing older horses in her new home. She received weight breaks as a consequence, but the point remains that she was playing catch-up on the developmental curve. It speaks to her natural ability that she compiled a 5-4-1-0 record at Monterrico, graduating from a maiden to Group 1 winner in the span of 3 1/2 months.

Birdie Gold began her career sprinting on dirt. Debuting in a 1200-meter (about six-furlong) maiden March 4, she stalked and pounced to an 8 3/4-length romp. She had to work a little harder next time in a 1300-meter conditions race, but stayed on well to win going away by two. Stepping up to a metric mile, still on dirt, for her third start, Birdie Gold found herself in a real dogfight for the first time. Yet she displayed a likeable attitude, rallying down on the inside to get the head-bob.  

Then Birdie Gold had lots thrown at her fourth time out – stretching out to about 1 1/4 miles, switching to turf, and taking a sizeable class hike into listed stakes company for the May 20 Clasico Republica Argentina. She also found herself in an unfamiliar tactical position near the rear. Despite being briefly outpaced turning into the stretch, she made a sharp move to dive inside for room. She was ultimately outkicked by Soy Realidad, but held onto the runner-up spot narrowly.

The experience served her well, for over the same course and distance in the Clasico Pamplona, Birdie Gold emphatically turned the tables. This was clearly a case of progression, since the weight concession from Soy Realidad was the same (eight pounds). Birdie Gold carved out a ground-saving trip, punched through to get first run on Soy Realidad, and stamped her authority in hand.