BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Miss Mary Nell circled the field five-wide out of the second turn then ran down graded-stakes-winner Candy Quest in the stretch to win the $60,000 Time Passage overnight handicap at Gulfstream Park Saturday. Under 123 pounds including jockey Jonathan Ocasio, Florida-bred Miss Mary Nell won as the 2-1 favorite in the field of eight fillies and mares, 3-years-old and older, going a mile-and-70-yards on the Tapeta course.
Miss Mary Nell started well from the outside post eight then got over to the three-path in the second flight into the clubhouse turn behind Minty, Florida-bred Let’s Go Koko, and Simply Striking. Minty turned down the backstretch a length in front of Let’s Go Koko as Miss Mary Nell settled four-and-a-half lengths back in a joint fifth to the outside of Oshala. Minty clipped off quarter-mile fractions of :23.29 and :47.02 before Candy Quest took over from third around the second turn, getting six furlongs in 1:11.40. Candy Quest and Miss Mary Nell emerged as the best of four into the lane with Miss Mary Nell getting to the front in deep stretch to win by a neck in 1:40.97. Fantasy Performer got up to finish second, a neck ahead of Candy Quest in third. Oshala, Florida-bred Ashima, Lets Go Koko, Simply Striking and Minty completed the order of finish.
“We had a plan to try to go to the lead and if somebody else goes then just sit behind them and make one run with her,” Ocasio said. “They tried to outrun me early but she kept fighting the whole time and in the stretch she gave me everything.”
Trained by Carlos David, Miss Mary Nell paid $6.40 to win and earned $34,500 for owner and breeder Marc Haysfield of Ocala, Florida in the name of his Palm Beach Racing. She has now won eight of 27 starts with four seconds and five thirds and increased her lifetime earnings to $430,833. She is seven-for-14 lifetime on the Gulfstream synthetic including the $60,000 South Beach overnight handicap in January.
Miss Mary Nell is by Girvin out of Tempest’s Flash, by It’s No Joke. Tempest’s Flash has three winners from four starters and six foals including stakes-placed Florida-bred Ababajoni, by Neolithic, who stands in Florida at Pleasant Acres Stallions. Tempest’s Flash has an unraced 2-year-old Florida-bred filly, Esther’s Winner, by Ocala Stud’s Win Win Win. Esther’s Winner sold for $65,000 to Charles Biggs out of the David McKathan’s Grassroots Training and Sales consignment of at this year’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale. Tempest’s Flash has an unnamed Florida-bred yearling by Neolithic and was bred to Neolithic in 2026.
Return to the November 7 issue of Wire to Wire
