Stepping up in trip held no concerns for Bjorn Baker’s I Am Dirty as the 2yo daughter of Champion Sire I Am Invincible charged clear to win the $160,000 Listed BRC Bill Carter Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday in impressive style.
Breaking her maiden last time out when over 1200m at Gosford at just her second start, I Am Dirty was highly fancied to add the Bill Carter Stakes to her record, jumping away under Rachel King as the second favourite in the small field of eight.
Away well from barrier 3, King took the filly forward to eventually settle in fourth position with the Liam Birchley trained 50/1 chance Remembrall coming across from a wide gate to take the lead.
With Remembrall leading the field into the home straight, the favoured pair of I Am Dirty and Chris Waller’s Katoto both started to make their runs.
Although luck deserted the favourite Katoto, King had all the favours as she sprinted down the outside with I Am Dirty racing away to take the prize in emphatic fashion.
Holding a two and a quarter length margin over the Tony and Calvin McEvoy trained runner up Shintono (NZ) with a narrow margin back to Waller’s Wootton Bassett filly Katoto in third.
Speaking on behalf of the stable, James Clarke highlighted that the stable had always have very goo opinion of the filly.
“She's always been a filly we have held in very high and she's shown a lot of talent from day one,” said Clarke. “She put the writing on the wall when she won the other day at Gosford and Bjorn was very confident coming today. So, yeah, it was a good ride and she won very well.”
“She was an expensive yearling, so getting a two-year-old win like that is very important, and I'm very hopeful for her future. She's always shown a lot, so to get that on a record was good.
When asked if she may back up next Saturday in the $1m G2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), Clarke felt it was highly likely.
“I'd say there's every chance that he (Baker) might consider backing up next Saturday,” said Clarke. “Now that she's sort of ticked up the 1350m box and. We'll wait and see how she pulls up, but the mile will be a question mark - 1400 metres, I'd say, certainly.”
Having ridden the filly in both her wins, King was impressed with the level of improvement the filly has shown.
“Even from her first start to second start, she improved no end, and she's really learning her racecraft now,” said King. “She's pretty bomb proof and she's still building a little bit of sass about her. But she definitely channels it in the right direction. She's beautiful and relaxed.”
“They didn't go overly quick, but she wasn't too fussed about that. She travelled better today than what she did over the 1200m and showed a really good turn of foot, and handled the tracks which is a nice box to tick. "
Asked if she felt the step up in trip would pose any issues going forward, King felt there was no reason to suspect the filly wouldn’t cope.
“I wouldn't see any question why not. She's got the right attitude to do it, and the way she can click up off to the steady tempo, you know, she's shown she can do it off a good temp today.
“I keep saying she's got a fantastic attitude and that takes two-year-olds a long way. You know, they've got to do things the right way around, especially when they're stepping up in trip and she gives me every indication she will.
“Obviously, we'll keep learning about her, sort of start by start, but at the moment, she's done nothing wrong.”
With two wins from three starts and earnings of $201,000, I Am Dirty was a $600,000 purchase for Bjorn Baker Racing and Clarke Bloodstock Pty Ltd (FBAA) from the Ridgmont draft at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale.
I Am Dirty is the first foal from fast G3-winning So You Think mare Dirty Thoughts, who comes from the family of $1.9m earning, multiple Group-winning stayer Grey Song.
Newgate as agent for Ridgmont sold a yearling full sister to I Am Dirty at this year’s Magic Millions yearling sale for $300,000 to Equine Growth Fund, SP Bloodstock, Blueblood Thoroughbreds and Ciaron Maher Bloodstock.
Dirty Thoughts had a colt last spring by Zoustar and is now in foal to The Autumn Sun.
Becoming the 126th stakes winner for Yarraman Park’s Champion Sire I Am Invincible who will stand the upcoming season at $220,000 (inc. GST), I Am Dirty is one of seven juvenile stakes performers this season for her sire, headed by G1 winner Seize The Day and the G2 winner Chayan, who recently sold for a staggering $5.6m at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale.
