Tarifa toughs it out in G2 Mother Goose Stakes

Tarifa exacted her revenge on Gun Song with a tenacious victory in the G2 Mother Goose Stakes at Aqueduct, USA, on Saturday, 26 October. 

The three-year-old fillies were meeting for a second time, with Tarifa having finished three and a half lengths adrift of Gun Song when the duo filled the places behind Thorpedo Anna in September’s G1 Cotillion Stakes. 

Tarifa overcame an early stumble to soon lead as Gun Song stalked the Brad Cox-trained filly in a half-length second, with two lengths back to Dorothy’s Dreams in third. 

Gun Song loomed up on the outside of Tarifa turning in as Flavien Prat pushed along the Godolphin homebred to maintain a slender advantage at the top of the straight. 

Tarifa continued to respond down the lane and rallied to regain the lead when Gun Song briefly nosed in front approaching the final half-furlong, finding more close home to prevail by a head, with Pretty Ana flying late to grab third in a blanket finish. 

Flavien Prat said: “I wanted to try something different on Tarifa. She jumped very well and I think I clipped somebody’s heel on the outside of me, so I lost a bit of momentum. She was quick enough to still end up on the lead and was travelling well after that. She showed some good fight. 

“She showed good form earlier on in her three-year-old campaign and had a little break after the Kentucky Oaks. She finally showed herself again today.”