Rodney Lundock's homebred Maryquitecontrary rediscovered her winning form in a familiar spot, rallying for a popular one-length victory to defend her title in Saturday's $125,000 Rampart Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
The 45th running of the one-mile Rampart for fillies and mares was the first of five stakes, three graded, worth $725,000 in purses co-headlined by the $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (G2), a prep for the $1-million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1), and $150,000 Harlan's Holiday (G3), a prep for the $3-million Pegasus World Cup, both Jan. 27.
Racing first time for trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. and with regular rider Luca Panici aboard, Maryquitecontrary ($4.60) completed the distance in 1:38.16 over a fast main track to become just the second horse to win the Rampart in back-to-back years, joining Awesome Maria (2011-12).
Breaking from Post 3, 6-5 favorite Maryquitecontrary raced on the inside ahead of one horse, Nostalgic, as 16-1 longshot Dreaming of Snow set fractions of :24.53 and :47.97 up front from the rail, pressed to her outside by Imonra.
Panici tipped Maryquitecontrary off the rail on the far turn and moved out to the middle of the track once straightened for home with sights set on Imonra, who had wrested a short lead. Panici and the 4-year-old First Dude filly came with a rush on the outside and surged past Imonra inside the eighth pole.
“The pace was pretty slow, especially the first quarter. She broke good and I decided to stay off the pace,” Panici said. “At the beginning of her career she was learning, but now she has developed the experience. She's very different and she feels very good.”
Imonra was second, three lengths ahead of Unifying, followed by Rosie's Halo, Dreaming of Snow and Nostalgic.
It was the fifth stakes win for Maryquitecontrary, all at Gulfstream, with four of the coming during a five-race win streak between last summer and late January, when she captured the seven-furlong Inside Information (G2). The Rampart is her only time racing as far as a mile.
“I have to thank the owner, he always lets me ride. Mr. Plesa did an excellent job, so I'm very delighted to keep riding this filly,” Panici said. “She showed more kick today than usual but I can't complain. She's special.”
Plesa took over the training of Maryquitecontrary after her runner-up finish for trainer David Fawkes in the Princess Rooney (G3) Oct. 7 at Gulfstream. He left the race strategy up to Panici, who has been aboard for all but one of her 12 starts, including 10 in a row.
“I told him, 'If you're on the outside fence the whole way I'm not going to be mad at you. You're on her, I'm not,'” Plesa said. “Needless to say, he was not on the outside. He rode her like a racehorse. He did a great job. She was the best horse today.”
Plesa was unsure whether Maryquitecontrary would be pointed to making a title defense in the $200,000 Inside Information Jan. 27.
“We'll get her back to the barn and go over things and have a conversation with the owner and the jock, and the horse, and see what she says,” Plesa said. “She's got the most important words to tell us.”
Maryquitecontrary was produced by the Major Moran mare Mary Kate 'n Kelly.
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