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Lady’s Island Successfully Defends Title In Sugar Swirl At Gulfstream Park

Averill Racing LLC and Matties Racing's Lady's Island survived an inquiry to successful defend her title in the $100,000 Sugar Swirl (G3) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The Sugar Swirl, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, was one of five stakes on Saturday's program, including the $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (G2), a key prep for the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Jan. 23.

Lady's Island's front-running score came a day after owner Rich Averill and his partners retired their 10-year-old turf sprint star Pay Any Price following a second-place finish in Friday's last race at Gulfstream.

“I have had a couple of emotional days,” said trainer Georgina Baxter. “I am so pleased she was able to defend her crown. They write her off, but to me, where she's right, she's one of the quickest fillies in America.”

The 6-year-old daughter of Greatness ($11) broke alertly under Emisael Jaramillo to show the way along the backstretch on her way to setting fractions of 22.12 and 44.54 seconds for a half mile. She continued to show the way into the stretch and maintained her lead while steadily drifting out. The Florida-bred mare shortened stride late but was able to hold off a late-running Bronx Beauty by a head.

Cinnabunny, the even-money favorite ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., closed steadily in the stretch while racing in tight quarters to finish third, three-quarters of a length back. Lady's Island ran six furlongs in 1:10.46.

Ortiz filed an objection, but after a lengthy review, the stewards made no change in the order of finish.

The successful title defense was the 17th victory in 34 career starts for Lady's Island, who scored a front-running 9 ¾-length victory in last season's Sugar Swirl.

“We don't know what the future holds for her,” said Averill. “This could be one of her last races.”

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Pay Any Price’s Career Cut Short By Gulfstream Age Restrictions

As successful turf sprinter Pay Any Price's 10-year-old campaign comes to an end, so does his career as a race horse. As originally reported in the Daily Racing Form, this retirement will be due to an age restriction at Gulfstream Park. This restriction does not allow horses older than 10 to race there.

It appears as though the track record holder will have one last start at Gulfstream Park in December, a finale of sorts, according to his trainer, Georgina Baxter.

“He's going to have one more run and then I believe we're going to retire him,” Baxter said to the Daily Racing Form's Mike Welsch. “I think he could still run at Tampa next year, but he never really liked that track.”

Pay Any Price is owned by Richard Averill and the Matties Racing Stable. Baxter has been his exercise rider for six years and his trainer for almost two.

Throughout Pay Any Price's career, the gelding by Wildcat Heir won 19 of his 33 starts. One of those victories was in the Silks Run Stakes at Gulfstream Park on March 11, 2017. This was the victory that landed him the track record for five furlongs on the turf at 53.61. This is also the North American record for the distance.

Due to various reasons, this will be Pay Any Price's first start since his wire-to-wire victory in the Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint on July 5, 2020. Baxter told Daily Racing Form that the plan afterwards is for him to return to the farm he was foaled at in Ocala.

10-Year-Old Pay Any Price Prevails In Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint

Pay Any Price, the 10-year-old gelding owned by Averill Racing LLC and Matties Racing Stable LLC, held off a late rally by Ambassador Luna to win Sunday's $75,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint by a nose over a 'good' turf course at Gulfstream Park.

A son of Wildcat Heir trained by Georgina Baxter, Pay Any Price has won 19 of 33 races, including nine stakes. The gelding won the Umphrey in 2017 and 2018, the Crystal River in 2018 and 2019, and was second in the Jim McKay Turf Sprint in 2017.

The win was especially pleasing to Baxter after Pay Any Price lost his three previous starts.

“This horse is amazing, isn't he?” Baxter said. “I know his last two runs were questionable but you can never write this horse off. You have to respect him every time he steps on the racetrack.

“He's special to me. He's special to everyone in the barn. He's 10 years old. His worst enemy is his attitude, but he's turned into be our best friend – the fact that he is so goofy and quirky. He's still so good and so fast and still running well at 10 years old.”

Pay Any Price popped out of the gate under jockey Edgard Zayas and set fractions of :21.84 and :44.03 before hitting the wire first. The gelding was bred in Florida by Brent and Crystal Fernung and has now won 16 of 24 starts at Gulfstream.

Earlier in the afternoon, GU Racing Stable LLC's Belle Laura split horses around the turn and drove to an impressive victory in Sunday's $60,000 In The Breeze, covering a good mile turf course in 1:35.32.

The 4-year-old daughter of Mucho Macho Man, facing 10 others, including six stakes winners, was fifth down the backstretch before moving between pacesetter Dangerous Curves and Rosa Star around the turn and then driving away to a 4 ½ length victory over Great Sister Diane. Midnight Soiree was third.

Belle Laura is now two-for-two this year under the shedrow of trainer Juan Avila and jockey Hector Berrios. The filly finished third in the Jessamine (G2) and seventh in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) as a 2-year-old, and third in the Herecomesthebride (G3) last year.

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