There has always been something a bit special about I Am Me since she walked out of the Melbourne Premier Sale ring after a winning bid from Dynamic Syndications.
But it has been a waiting game with the daughter of I Am Invincible, which was sold for $210,000 to an interesting mix of owners.
I Am Me has always had ability and is ready to show it this preparation.Credit:Getty
“That was about as much as we had gone to for a filly at the time [in 2020],” Dynamic’s Adam Watt explained. “She is actually the first horse that Sheikh Al Maktoum stayed in with a syndication company, which is a bit different.
“When I bought her, I went and saw Tim Stakemire, who does the Sheikh’s work, and asked if, as the breeder, they would stay in her and he said yes, so they have 15 per cent.
“Being a Vinnie, she was sold very quickly, but then the waiting started.
“The [Ciaron Maher and David Eustace] stable always thought she was one of their better two-year-olds, but she injured a pelvis, so we had to wait until she was three to get her to the track.”
I Am Me has delivered on her early promise since with four wins from nine starts, including an arrogant dismissal of her rivals first up from a spell at Rosehill on November 5.
Tommy Berry was in the saddle as I Am Me camped on the speed, sprinted quickly in the straight, and raced away for 1¾ lengths victory from Coco Rox. She was eased up on the post and still broke 34 seconds for her last 600m.
“We knew she was pretty good, but what Tommy said that day stuck with me waiting to see her at the races again,” Watt said.
“He came back and said you’re going to have a lot of fun with her and she will get through the grades to a nice race.
“He walked off and came back and corrected himself: ‘We’re going to have a lot of fun with her,’ he told us.
“So we know she is good and we know who will be riding her.”
Ciaron Maher admitted that I Am Me has shown stakes-class ability and might get there by the end of this preparation. She has to take the right steps starting with the benchmark 88 at Rosehill on Saturday.
“We just had to be patient with her, because we knew what she had shown us as a young horse,” Maher said.
“It’s a lot easier wait when they have talent like her.
“It was just a matter of letting her mature because she was always going to get better, and I think we will see that ability this preparation.
“That first win was off one soft trial, so she was always going to improve. We gave her another trial, which was really a competitive track gallop before coming here.
“Talent-wise she still has some more to show us on the track.”
I Am Me is the standout on a big day at Rosehill for Dynamic, which also has Notions, while Jason Dreamer will bring Zou De Moon, Sensationalisation and Greek Hero down from Newcastle in the syndicator’s silks.
“While I Am Me is very exciting, we have chances all afternoon starting with Notions, which was very unlucky last time,” Watt said. “If he can get the right run, I think we can start the day the right way.
“It would be good to come home with a winner or maybe two.”
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