Congrats Gal romps in Smart Halo S. for first stakes win

Congrats Gal scored her third blowout win in five lifetime starts on Saturday when the 2-year-old Congrats filly powered her way to a 6 3/4-length score in the $100,000 Smart Halo S. at Laurel Park.

Coming into the race off a huge 14-length allowance win on Sept. 14, the bay filly turned in another top-class performance worthy of her 3-10 odds. 

After breaking very well, Congrats Gal took just off the pace set by Mae Never No and Questionoftheday. Three wide on the turn, the eventual winner took over in upper stretch and never looked back as she finished the six furlongs in 1:10.94 on a “good” main track.

“Very impressed. Very professional filly that’s done everything right from Day 1. Just happy to get the first stakes winner for (owner) Charlie Biggs here. We’re very pleased for him. We were with him when he bought her down in Ocala and we all liked her a lot,” trainer Cal Lynch said. 

“She’s something special,” Biggs added. “We’ll see how she comes back and decide what we’re going to do with her, look for another race or give her the winter off. It’s good stuff.” 

Bred in Kentucky by Woodford Thoroughbreds, Congrats Gal is now 3-1-1 in five starts and has earned $135,740. She is out of Grade 1-placed G City Gal.