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Fearless Records First Stakes Triumph In Gulfstream Park Mile

WinStar Farm LLC and CHC Inc.'s Fearless made a triumphant return to Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., on Saturday to collect his first stakes success in the $200,000 WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile (G2).

The Gulfstream Park Mile, a one-turn mile event for older horses, was one of nine stakes worth more than $1.4 million on a 14-race program headlined by the $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2), a key prep for the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill n' Dale Farm at Xalapa March 27.

Fearless ($7.60), who launched his career with back-to-back victories during the 2019-2020 Championship Meet, was making his first start since finishing sixth in the Stephen Foster (G2) at Churchill Downs June 20.

“Our biggest concern was that in his last couple starts he dropped back. We were hoping that being fresh that he'd put himself into the race a little bit,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He broke well and got in a good stalking position. He was forward from there and kicked on and ran like we hoped he would.”The 5-year-old gelded son of Ghostzapper rated well for Irad Ortiz Jr. several lengths behind pacesetter Wind of Change, who opened up several lengths on the field while speeding the first quarter of a mile in 23.60 seconds. Wind of Change continued to show the way on the far turn and completed the first half-mile in 46.50 before shortening stride as Fearless and his other rivals started to close in. Fearless went to the lead at the top of the stretch and continued on gamely to hold off Avant Garde by three-quarters of a length.

“I got a perfect trip. He broke and put me into the race. After that, I didn't want to hurry him. I waited and when I asked him he responded,” Ortiz said.

Avant Garde, who was ridden by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, finished two lengths ahead of 9-10 favorite Performer and jockey Jose Ortiz.

After winning his first two races at Gulfstream, Fearless hit the road to finish sixth in the New Orleans (G2) at Fair Grounds, before finishing second in an Oaklawn Park optional claiming allowance and a victory in an optional claiming allowance at Churchill Downs. He was never a factor while racing very wide in the Foster.

“Todd does what Todd does, and they come out running. He ran a super race,” said WinStar Farm's Elliott Walden. “We were pretty confident, seeing him breeze the last few times.”

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Venezuelan Hug Finds Room Late To Capture Canadian Turf

Spedale Family Racing and R. A. Hill Stable's Venezuelan Hug, racing on the inside throughout, found a seam between horses nearing the wire and got his nose down to edge Olympic Runner in Saturday's $125,000 Canadian Turf (G3) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The 55^th running of the 1 1/16-mile Canadian Turf for older turf horses was the fourth of nine stakes, eight graded, worth $1.475 million on a blockbuster 14-race program headlined by the $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) for 3-year-olds on the road to the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa March 27, and $200,000 Davona Dale (G2) featuring the seasonal debut of 2-year-old filly champion Vequist.

A 4-year-old by Constitution, Venezuelan Hug ($11) improved to 5-0 lifetime at the distance and gave jockey Junior Alvarado his second stakes win on the card, following Annex in the $100,000 Palm Beach. The winning time was 1:40.42 over a firm course.

Bizzee Channel, sent off at 25-1, set fractions of 23.69 seconds for a quarter-mile and 48.48 for the half under moderate pressure from Winters Back to his outside, with Fancy Liquor and Gear Jockey racing in behind and Alvarado saving ground along the rail in fifth to the inside of Olympic Runner.

Winters Back moved up and took a short lead over Bizzee Channel once straightened for home, while Olympic Runner swung to the outside to launch a bid while Alvarado bided his time on Venezuelan Hug. Olympic Runner appeared on the way to victory until Venezuelan Hug split Winters Back on his inside and Gear Jockey to earn his third consecutive win, all in stakes.

Olympic Runner edged 25-1 long shot Gear Jockey for second, with Winters Back fourth and 5-2 favorite Eons fifth.

$125,000 Canadian Turf (G3) Quotes

Winning trainer Danny Gargan (Venezuelan Hug): “I got a little concerned when he got stuck down in there. He's such a big horse, I was a little worried he wouldn't be able to get through. The only instructions I gave Junior was that he likes to make his run on the outside, but he's won a couple times on the inside now so he's maturing. He does really well pretty much everywhere we've had him, but he does love it down here. He likes two turns. He really digs in and gives you a big effort every time.”

“He's a really big horse, he's almost 17 hands, and I said just try to keep him out of trouble and when you ask him, he'll come running for you. I expected a big performance from him. I told [co-owner] Randy [Hill] to book his flight and come down here because he'll have a lot of fun today. He was lucky enough to win two today. It's kind of exciting when your owners can come to town and have a big day.”

Winning jockey Junior Alvarado (Venezuelan Hug): “That's what happens on the turf. Sometimes you get lucky and you get through it and you look like a hero. Sometimes you don't get through it and you look like the bad guy. I just was glad that I had the horse today. He pushed through it and made my job easier. I just had to go with him. He's such a cool horse.”

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Wholebodemeister Springs Major Upset in Davona Dale; Vequist Off The Board

Reigning Eclipse Award-winning juvenile filly Vequist (Nyquist) was bet like she could not lose her 3-year-old debut in Saturday's GII Davona Dale S. at Gulfstream Park, but she never so much as truly reached contention, as Wholebodemeister (Bodemeister) got loose and brave on the lead and scampered clear to cause a 52-1 boilover. Crazy Beautiful (Liam's Map) was a bit hesitant to load, but closed off decently for second ahead of 53-1 Competitive Speed (Competitive Edge) in third.

Drawn the fence with Edgard Zayas calling the shots, Wholebodemeister put herself right into the race and set what appeared to be a solid pace from Adios Trippi (Adios Charlie) as Vequist settled one out and one back in the second flight. Wholebodemeister galloped them along comfortably, but Vequist began to find her best stride three wide at the three-eighths and worked her way up to within a couple of lengths of the front-runner. The champ was soon under the bat and clearly in deep waters, but the same could not be said for Wholebodemeister, who widened under a hold with a furlong and a half to travel and wandered about inside the final eighth of a mile, but was never in serious danger. Vequist was not persevered with when clearly beaten and finished ninth of the 10 runners.

A maiden winner from three juvenile appearances, Wholebodemeister was the 4 3/4-length winner of a modestly rated two-lifetime allowance at Gulfstream West Oct. 24 ahead of a never-nearer seventh in Tampa's Sandpiper S. Dec. 5. The homebred was stretching out to the mile for the first time, having made moderate late inroads to be third, beaten under two lengths, in the seven-furlong GIII Forward Gal S. at this venue Jan. 30.

“Last time, it was a troubled trip,” Zayas said. “She's still learning a lot. I remember last time she was between horses and she didn't like it. The last eighth she found some space and she went through it and only got by a little more than a length. I knew she would be solid if I could keep her in the clear. My plan was just to break out of there, put her on the lead and see what she got.”

Pedigree Notes:

Wholebodemeister is the 20th stakes winner and seventh black-type winner for her sire, who now stands stud in Turkey, and she is the 11th stakes winner (sixth graded winner) out of a daughter of the late Scat Daddy. The bay is out of a Grade III-placed daughter of the SP Carr Shaker (Carr de Naskra), the dam of New York-bred GSW Dewars Rocks (Big Mukora) and two other state-bred stakes performers. Wholelottashakin was barren to Connect for 2019, but produced a Union Rags filly in 2020 and foaled a colt by Arrogate Feb. 3 of this year.

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
DAVONA DALE S.-GII, $200,000, Gulfstream, 2-27, 3yo, f, 1m, 1:36.89, ft.
1–WHOLEBODEMEISTER, 120, f, 3, by Bodemeister
                1st Dam: Wholelottashakin (GSP, $337,465), by Scat Daddy
                2nd Dam: Carr Shaker, by Carr de Naskra
               3rd Dam: Talc Shaker, by Talc
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Sabana
Farm, LLC (KY); T-Juan Carlos Avila; J-Edgard J. Zayas.
$117,800. Lifetime Record: 7-3-0-1, $175,922.
2–Crazy Beautiful, 120, f, 3, Liam's Map–Indian Burn, by Indian
Charlie. 'TDN Rising Star' ($250,000 Ylg '19 FTKOCT).
O-Phoenix Thoroughbred III; B-Carolyn R Vogel (KY); T-Kenneth
McPeek. $38,000.
3–Competitive Speed, 120, f, 3, Competitive Edge–Shopped
Out, by Mineshaft. ($50,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP; $5,000 2yo
'20 OBSOPN). O-John C. Minchello; B-White Fox Farm (KY);
T-Javier E. Gonzalez. $19,000.
Margins: 6HF, 1HF, 2 3/4. Odds: 52.80, 9.20, 53.90.
Also Ran: Pens Street, Curlin's Catch, Happy Constitution, Millefeuille, Three Tipsy Chix, Vequist, Adios Trippi. Scratched: Hindsight, Lady Traveler. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Phantom Currency Earns First Stakes Victory, Wires Mac Diarmida Field

Susan and Jim Hill's Phantom Currency notched his first career stakes victory in front-running style, turning back favorite Tide of the Sea through the stretch for a one-length triumph in Saturday's $200,000 Mac Diarmida (G2) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The 26^th running of the 1 3/8-mile Mac Diarmida for older turf horses was the second of nine stakes, eight graded, worth $1.475 million on a blockbuster 14-race program headlined by the $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) for 3-year-olds on the road to the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa March 27 and $200,000 Davona Dale (G2) featuring the seasonal debut of 2-year-old filly champion Vequist.

Ridden by Paco Lopez for trainer Brian Lynch, Phantom Currency ($15.60) completed the distance in 2:13.84 over a firm course. Tide of the Sea, looking to give trainer Mike Maker his third consecutive Mac Diarmida victory, ran second, with stablemate Temple third.

Breaking from Post 6 in a field of eight, Phantom Currency – a 5-year-old gelding by Goldencents – was sent to the lead in typical style by Lopez, going a quarter-mile in 23.60 seconds with a comfortable gap back to Tide of the Sea in second as the group came through the stretch for the first time. Tide of the Sea ranged up after a half in 49.08 and went the mile in 1:38.40 to forge a short lead.

Phantom Currency responded by wresting the lead back on the turn and straightened for home in front with Tide of the Sea and Temple furthest outside closing in. Phantom Currency, a 1 1/8-mile optional claiming allowance winner in is Gulfstream debut Jan. 13, dug in along the rail. Moon Over Miami was fourth, followed by Sir Sahib, Admission Office, Basha and Aquaphobia.

“I was surprised they left him alone like they did, and I was very happy to see him make the lead like they did and then slow it down the second quarter,” said Lynch. “He's a horse that gets very, very game when he's left alone. Paco said he gave him a little breather around the three-eighths pole and he still felt like he had a lot of horse. He let them come to him and then he crept away. I'm very proud of him. He's been an overachiever, this horse. He obviously likes this track and he's very dangerous when he's left alone.”

“It was the first time I rode the horse and Brian told me to put him on the lead,” said Lopez. “I did exactly what he told me. I had to use him in the race coming to the three-eighths [pole] and he wanted to run off a little bit the first quarter. The second quarter I got a hold of him and he got comfortable. I was on the rail and I waited. [Tide of the Sea] passed me a little bit but I was confident I had a lot of horse and in the stretch he got away from them.”

In his previous stakes attempts, Phantom Currency finished off the board in the Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup and Clark (G1), the latter on dirt. Lynch finished second in the 2020 Mac Diarmida with Admission Office.

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