Florida-breds go 4-for-6 against California-breds
The $300,000 Sunshine Millions Turf covered nine furlongs, but with Jet Propulsion cruising on the lead throughout, it was essentially over after two. The Florida-bred gelding led from start to finish at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, carving out easy fractions of 24.21 seconds for a quarter-mile and 48.23 for a half-mile en route to a two-length victory.
Jet Propulsion, a 7-year-old son of Get Away Farm stallion Double Honor, won in his first start for trainer Marty Wolfson, who had claimed him for $50,000 out of a front-running victory at Calder Race Course on Dec. 12. The horse had been running for owner Dennis G. Punches and trainer Donna Green before Wolfson claimed him for Farnsworth Stables.
Jet Propulsion’s victory helped Florida-breds win four of the six Sunshine Millions races, which pit products of the Sunshine State against California-breds at Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita Park.
Earlier on Saturday’s card at Gulfstream, This Ones for Phil beat fellow Florida-bred Pashito the Che by a nose after a stirring stretch duel in the $200,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint, and Sweet Repent earned her fifth straight victory in the $300,000 Distaff. At Santa Anita, Bold Chieftain won the $500,000 Classic and Quisisana took the $200,000 Filly and Mare Sprint for California, while Florida-bred Tight Precision extended her winning streak to three races in the $300,000 Filly and Mare Turf.
In the Turf, Jet Propulsion led comfortably throughout, opening up a six-length advantage a half-mile into the race and getting to the top of the lane with a four-length lead under jockey Julien Leparoux. He finished the nine-furlong race on firm turf in 1:45.96. Jet Propulsion paid $8, $5.40 and $4 as the second choice in a field of nine.
“I was happy but not surprised that they didn’t come with me in the first turn,” Leparoux said. “We got an easy lead, and that was good for us. At the three-eighths pole, I started to go, and I kind of looked back a couple of times on the final turn to see if they were coming, but they weren’t. My horse made a big move, and we won easily.”
Pickapocket, a homebred for Martin Cherry, paid $6.60 and $4.20 after finishing three lengths ahead of fellow Florida-bred Picou, a homebred for John Eaton and Steve Laymon who returned $4.60 to show.
Florida-bred Soldier’s Dancer, a graded stakes winner who has earned $1.52 million, finished fourth after winning this race last year. He was a 9-5 favorite to defend his crown, but his signature come-from-behind kick fell well short.
“I liked how he ran out of the gate; he came out good,” said Manoel Cruz, who rode Soldier’s Dancer. “But the track was fast, and the pace didn’t help. The race didn’t come out exactly the way we wanted.”
Jet Propulsion, bred by Farnsworth Farms, has won 13 of his 44 starts for $564,523. The gelding’s wins include the 2007 Miami Mile Handicap (G3) and the $100,000 Needles Stakes in 2006 at Calder.
“I’ve been watching this horse for a couple years,” Wolfson said. “He’s beat up on horses of mine a number of times. I never thought he’d be dropped in for a tag, but when he was, I took him with this race in mind. He’s settled down a lot in the last six weeks. I don’t have anything in mind for him right now, but I think a mile and an eighth might be his best distance.”
In the Sprint, This Ones for Phil prevailed over Pashito the Che in a duel that lasted the length of the stretch.
This Ones for Phil, bred by Gilbert Campbell at Stonehedge Farm South in Williston as a son of resident stallion Untuttable, delivered as the even-money favorite in a field of seven. He covered the six furlongs in 1:08.81 to improve to 3-for-4 at Gulfstream Park, having also captured the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Dash and the Swale Stakes (G2) there last year.
“It was a great horse race,” winning trainer Rick Dutrow said. “He had chips removed from his knees (after finishing fifth in the Woody Stephens at Belmont Park on June 6) and is a better horse for it. We’ll hope for an invitation to Dubai (for the $2 million Golden Shaheen on March 27) down the straightaway, like we did with (Florida-bred) Benny the Bull a couple years ago.”
This Ones for Phil has won six of his 15 starts for $493,360. The 4-year-old gelding is owned by a partnership that includes Paul Pompa Jr.
“When I saw (Pashito the Che) on the lead, I knew he was the horse to beat, so I got right after him,” said winning rider John Velazquez. “At the three-sixteenths pole, I got head-to-head with him, and from then on it was both of those horses. They fought every step of the way, all the way home, and it was just the luck of bob to me, I guess.”
Pashito the Che, bred by Mr. and Mrs. Leverett S. Miller, has won six of his 13 starts for $452,220. He’s been part of the exacta in 11 straight races and is a four-time stakes winner.
Florida-bred Drift King finished a distant third.
In the Distaff, Sweet Repent took the lead inside the eighth pole and pulled away for a 3 ¾-length victory over pacesetting Florida-bred Jessica Is Back.
Sweet Repent, bred by Nikki and Roger Schick, has won five straight races, including stakes victories in the $75,000 Judy’s Red Shoes, the $200,000 Elmer Heubeck Distaff Handicap and the Stage Door Betty Handicap (G3) at Calder. The 4-year-old daughter of Repent has won seven of her 13 career starts and earned $464,190 for owner Buongiorno A. Tutti Stable and trainer David Braddy.
“I was concerned when (jockey Manoel Cruz) was asking her in the far turn and not really getting to the leaders, but she got going and wore them down,” Braddy said. “She had some time off last year with some problems with her feet. She was a better 3-year-old than a 2-year-old and is still maturing. She gets a vacation now, probably about 60 days off.”
Sweet Repent covered the nine furlongs in 1:49.26 and paid $5.20 to win as the favorite in a field of nine.
Florida-bred Even Road finished third, 1 ½ lengths behind Jessica Is Back.
Across the country at Santa Anita, Tight Precision got her first stakes victory in the Filly and Mare Turf, rallying for a 1 ½-length victory over pacesetting California-bred Bootleg Annie, with California’s Pretty Unusual in third.
Tight Precision, bred by Charles Patton, entered the race off wins in a $43,569 allowance on the Churchill Downs lawn in November and an $80,000 optional claimer on the Gulfstream Park turf Jan. 6. The 5-year-old daughter of Pure Precision has won five of her 14 starts to earn $337,970 for owner E.J. Sukley and trainer Tom Proctor.
Tight Precision covered the nine furlongs on firm turf in 1:47.27 with Joel Rosario aboard and paid $4.40 to win as the favorite in a field of eight.
“The trainer told me to do whatever I wanted,” Rosario said. “She’s a very classy filly. Going to the top of the stretch, I saw (Pretty Unusual) coming inside of me, but I wasn’t worried. She’s got a real long stride, and when I asked her, she gave it to me.”
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Photo by Coglianese
