BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Let go at odds of 28-1, The Tiny Equestrian Group’s Mati Gol produced fireworks on the Gulfstream Park tote board on July 4 with a three-and-a-half-length victory in the $75,000 Carry Back. Ridden by Jose Morelos for trainer Victor Barboza Jr., Mati Gol went past 1-5 favorite and stablemate Here Comes Francis at the top of the stretch to win his first stakes against four other 3-year-olds at seven furlongs.

“The horse that won was a surprise at 25-1, but for me, the horse wasn’t a big surprise,” Barboza said. “The horse has been improving all the time.”

Here Comes Francis, who was undefeated in two previous starts and ridden by Emisael Jaramillo, sprinted off to a two-length lead through quarter-mile splits of :21.80 as Mati Gol chased in fourth five lengths back. Here Comes Francis continued with a convincing margin around the turn when Mati Gol moved into second and began closing in approaching the quarter-mile marker.

Morelos shifted Mati Gol to the outside in upper stretch and took over inside the final sixteenth to finish in 1:23.25 on the sloppy and sealed track. Insurmountable finished second, three-and-a-quarter lengths ahead of Forged Steel in third. Here Comes Francis and Florida-bred Big Paradise completed the order of finish. Grand Joker and Outta Money scratched.

Mati Gol paid $59.60 to win.

 

“The race set up perfect. I was riding the horse the way the trainer told me – to stay off the speed. In the stretch, the horse came on strong on the outside to win the race. That was the plan, and we surprised everyone,” Morelos said. “The favorite was going very fast, so I was happy the pace was extremely fast. My horse was relaxed in the back of the pack, and I knew it was perfect for him to close.” Coming off a third-place finish in the $75,000 Roar won by Florida-bred Most Handsome going five furlongs on the turf at Gulfstream on May 17, Mati Gol won for the second time in six career starts.

After breaking his maiden at Gulfstream in his second lifetime race, the son of Ocala Stud stallion Win Win Win was fourth in a first level allowance race for Florida-breds won by future Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) contender Neoequos over a sloppy six furlongs at Gulfstream on Jan. 23. He was then given a 90-day break before returning to run third behind winner Joey Muscles under the same conditions going seven furlongs at Gulfstream on April 24 before running in the Roar.

He improved is record to two wins with a second and two thirds in six starts. He has now earned $93,340.

Mati Gol is out of the unraced mare Full Flower Moon, by Prospective and was bred in Florida by Jorge Wagner. Wagner purchased Full Flower Moon for $50,000 at the 2017 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale of 2-year-olds in training. Full Flower Moon has two winners from two starters and three with Mati Gol her first stakes-winner. Full Flower Moon is out of She’s Actceptional, by Kafwain, a half-sister to Grade 3-placed, stakes-winner Omniscient, stakes-placed Thank You, stakes-placed, stakes-producer Mr. Debbie M, graded-stakes producer Accepting Fate and stakes-placed Miss Emelina. She is from the family of Grade 3-winner Valid Expectations.

The Carry Back Stakes is named for Florida-bred millionaire whose 21 career wins included the 1961 Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Florida Derby, Flamingo, Jerome Handicap, Everglades and Trenton Handicap.

The Carry Back was first run at Calder Race Course in 1976 and Mati Gol joins a long list of 29 Florida-bred winners of the race including Smile in 1985, Royal Lad (2002), Lost in the Fog (2005), Fort Loudon (2012) and Three Rules (2017). The last Florida-bred winner of the Carry Back prior to Mati Gol was 2023 winner Lightning Tones, who also won at odds of 28-1.

Return to the July 5 issue of Wire to Wire