8-year-old gelding is fourth Florida-bred winner at Presque Isle Friday

BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Fourth in the 2023 edition of the Karl Boyes Stakes at Presque Isle Downs, 34-1 longshot Spirited Sol used an inside run in the stretch to take Friday’s $100,000 edition of the six-furlong test on the all-weather course. With Martina Rojas aboard, the 8-year-old gelding defeated six other 3-year-olds and older for his first career stakes victory in 32 starts.

Trained by Kimberly DePasquale for Winterhawk Racing, Spirited Sol was third down the backstretch, two lengths behind frontrunner Jean Valjean with Florida-bred Victory Achieved splitting the two in second. Jean Valjean led Victory Achieved by a head through a half mile in :45.40, then carried that rival six-wide coming out of the turn. Spirited Sol saved ground throughout to take over a furlong out and win by three lengths in 1:10.38. Victory Achieved held second with Horsepower third. Eamonn, Surly Furious, Nobals and Jean Valjean finished in that order.

Spirited Sol paid $70.80 to win and the Florida-bred exacta returned $388.60 on a $2 ticket.

It was the second start of the year for Spirited Sol after finishing second in a five-furlong allowance race on the Penn National turf on June 18. Last year, he had five seconds and a third in eight starts and it was Spirited Sol’s first win since a second level, $40,000 optional claiming at Presque Isle in May of 2024.

Spirited Sol has now won five with 10 seconds and six thirds with earnings of $262,648. By Soldat out of Spirited Storm, by Stormy Atlantic, he was bred in Florida by Tag Stables, who receive a $4,000 Export Incentive check from the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association for the out-of-state victory.

He was the fourth Florida-bred winner on the Presque Isle Downs card Friday, joining Donald L. Ming and Rebecca Rice’s Judy Chop, a winner of a $7,500 maiden claiming in Race 2; Carolyn Wilson homebred Willie Bird, who took a $25,000 optional claiming in Race 3; and trainer Juan Arriagada’s Mistrial Wind, winner of a $6,250 claiming in Race 5.

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