Gin Gin

Gin Gin won one of four starts as a 2-year-old in 2023, earning her first victory in her second career start with a 2 ½-length score going seven furlongs at Churchill Downs. The bay filly by Hightail also finished second at Churchill in the Rags to Riches Stakes during her juvenile campaign.

She opened her 3-year-old season with a one-length win in the Busanda Stakes Jan. 13, 2024, at Aqueduct. She punched her ticket to the Kentucky Oaks with third-place finishes in the Busher Invitational Stakes in March and Grade 3 Gazelle Stakes in April, both at Aqueduct.

Gin Gin encountered early traffic and was never a threat when 12th in the Longines Kentucky Oaks and then went to the sidelines for an extended stretch.

She returned Jan. 17, 2025, at Fair Grounds and looked like she needed a race when finishing fifth.

Gin Gin regained her stakes-winning form in her next start. She stalked pacesetter Just F Y I, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2013, in the early stages of the Baird Doubledogdare Stakes before seizing command in the stretch of a dominant win in her first start for new trainer Brendan Walsh. The filly followed that peak effort with another strong race, finishing second to Royal Spa in the Grade 3 Shawnee Stakes at Churchill Downs in late May, before finishing a distant fourth of five behind reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna in the Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis Stakes at Churchill.

Gin Gin was away from the track for over three months, and returned as a 18.32-1 longshot among a small but quality field in the Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes Oct. 5 at Keeneland. With Luis Saez in the saddle for the first time, Gin Gin set a solid pace with minimal pressure from Thorpedo Anna, kept an advantage into the homestretch when that foe tired, and then was all out to hold off Alabama Stakes Presented by Keeneland Sales winner Nitrogen by a head. Gin Gin earned a “Win and You’re In” berth in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff with the victory.

Her owner, Calumet Farm, is the all-time leading owner and breeder in Kentucky Oaks history collecting six wins with Nellie L (1943), Wistful (1949), Hall of Famer Real Delight (1952), Bubbley (1953), Princess Turia (1956), and Hall of Famer Davona Dale (1979).