BY BROCK SHERIDAN

MARCH 6, 2021—Multiple stakes-winning Florida-bred A Bit of Both won the last of her four career black type contests at age five by taking the $75,000 Captiva Island at Gulfstream Park.

Originally scheduled for five furlongs on the turf, the Captiva Island was switched to the main track during a driving rainstorm and unlike her previous start in the slop when fourth in Florida-bred Miss Aurament’s $100,000 Ladies Turf Sprint, A Bit of Both this time relished the off going.

Ridden by Jose Ortiz from post five in the seven-horse field, A Bit of Both had one horse beat going into the first turn as Queen of Shades led by a half-length while clocking the first quarter mile in :22.48. Florida-bred Tracy Ann’s Legacy applied pressure on the outside while Miss Auramet stalked the two leaders on the rail. A Bit of Both began to circle rivals from the back of the back in the turn as Miss Auramet and Paco Lopez used a ground-saving trip to take the lead past the quarter pole

A Bit of Both headed into the lane five wide and was still three lengths behind Miss Auramet, who by now was alone on the lead in deep stretch. But Ortiz had A Bit of Both in high gear on outside and she got up just in time to win by a half-length in :58.93 with Miss Auramet staying up for second. Tracy Ann’s Legacy was another length farther back to complete the Florida-bred trifecta as Choose Joy, Nightlife, Compensate and Queen of Shades completed the order of finish.

A Bit of Both paid $8.80 to win while the $1 trifecta returned $40.40.

Trained by Michael Maker for Michael Dubb, Madaket Stabless LLC, Darsan Inc., Bethlehem Stables LLC and David Simon, the reliable A Bit of Both improved her record at the time to 10 wins in 18 starts with two seconds and a third. She retired later that year after winning one more race in four starts, an upper level, $50,000 optional claiming over the synthetic course at Arlington International in her second to last start in August.

Her career saw her win 11 of 22 career starts at 12 different tracks over fast dirt, slop, turf and two different synthetic surfaces while banking $454,328.

After winning her only start at age two, a $50,000 maiden claiming by 11 ¾ lengths; the next year, A Bit of Both began showing her versatility. She won the $75,000 Game Face going seven furlongs at Gulfstream, the $79,000 Honey Bee at five-and-a-half furlongs on the turf at Monmouth Park and the $125,000 OBS Sprint going six furlongs on the synthetic at Ocala Training Center. At age four, she won two of six starts with a second in the $75,000 Dashing Beauty going six furlongs at Delaware Park.

A Bit of Both was by Paynter out of Lizzie K, by High Fly and was bred in Florida by Daryl S. and Sandy Clark’s Darsan Inc. of Plantation, Fla., with WinStar Farm LLC based in Versailles, Ky.

Darsan took sole ownership of her with a $10,000 final bid in the 2017 Ocala Breeders’ Sales October Yearling Sale before partnering with the aforementioned ownership team after her maiden win.

Following her career, A Bit of Both sold for $40,000 to Sean Perl at the 2022 Keeneland January Horse of All Ages Sale. In November of 2022 at the Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale, she sold to Todd Frederick in foal to McKinzie for $110,000. The resulting foal, the filly Wager Me This, was unraced and the only registered foal produced by A Bit of Both.

Return to the March 8 issue of Wire to Wire