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Always Shopping Prompt Favorite In La Prevoyante

Even-money favorite Always Shopping made it look easy, winning the La Prevoyante (G3) by three lengths Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The 51st running of the La Prevoyante for fillies and mare at 1 ½ miles on turf was the third of seven stakes on Saturday's program that was headlined by the $3-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and the $1-million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1).

Always Shopping, Repole Stable's 5-year-old homebred daughter out of Stopchargingmaria, the 2015 Breeders' Cup Distaff winner, picked up her third stakes victory in four starts since trainer Todd Pletcher added blinkers and moved her to the turf. She came to the La Prevoyante from a three-length victory in the Via Borghese Stakes on December 19 at Gulfstream Park.

Longshots Aunt Hattie and Court Return set the early pace, carrying the field of 12 through an opening half-mile in :47.63. Always Shopping was never far away under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and had no trouble getting to the lead when asked by Ortiz. She completed the race in 2:25.38 and paid $4.00 to win.

Delta's Kingdom was second and Iron of Reality ended up third.

$125,000 La Prevoyante (G3) Quotes

Winning owner Mike Repole (Always Shopping): “Blinkers. Back to turf. Todd does an amazing job. I kind of like to bust his chops once in a while and ask him why it took so long to put blinkers. She's figured it out and Irad has done an amazing job with her, too.”

Winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. (Always Shopping): ““I got a perfect trip. I can't complain. The filly put me in a good position. I tried to settle down and she settled down and she came back to me, and whenever I asked her she responded very well.”

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Zofelle Shows Strong Stretch Punch In Winning Marshua’s River Off Layoff

Returning from a seven-month layoff, the Heider Family Stables' Zofelle cruised up into contention on the second turn and rolled to a two-length victory Saturday in the Marshua's River (G3) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The Marshua's River, run at a mile for the first time since 2004, is for fillies and mares 4-year-olds on the turf. It was the third of seven stakes on Saturday's program that was headlined by the $3-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and the $1-million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1).

Zofelle, a 5-year-old Irish-bred daughter of Zoffany, won her first three starts in 2019 after being imported from Europe. She placed in two stakes in 2020 but was given a break by trainer Brendan Walsh after finishing fifth in the Just A Game (G1) on June 27 at Belmont Park.

Sent off as the 5-2 favorite in the field of 10, Zofelle and jockey Tyler Gaffalione took up a position near the rail a half-dozen lengths behind Our Bay B Ruth, who led the way through opening fractions of 23.18 and 46.12 seconds. Sweet Bye and Bye and Vigilantes Way quickened from their stalking positions to overtake Our Bay B Ruth in the second turn, but Zofelle was making her rally, too, and, swept to the lead inside the eighth pole. She completed the mile in 1:38.11 and paid $7.60 for her first graded-stakes victory.

Sweet Bye and Bye held for second and Belle Laura was up for third.

$125,000 Marshua's River (G3) Quotes

Winning trainer Brendan Walsh (Zofelle): “She had a very good year last year. We gave her a break. She came back from the break and she had been working really, really good. Came to hand really fast, had been working well for this, so it was nice to see her do what she did there.”

“It seems like it has been tough to close on the outer course today, so we didn't want to be too far away. She traveled around there really nice and when he asked her she picked up instantly. We can't ask for more than that.”

Winning jockey Tyler Gaffalione (Zofelle): “I rode her in her first start in America and she settled real well that day and gave a really serious run down the stretch. I was trying to do the same thing. Coming off the layoff, I didn't want to rush her. I just let her settle and she picked up her feet as she went and she finished up nicely.”

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Heavily Favored Performer Edges Eye Of A Jedi In Fred W. Hooper

Phipps Stable and Claiborne Farm's Performer returned to winning form in Saturday's $125,000 Fred W. Hooper (G3) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., rebounding from a third-place finish that had snapped a five-race winning streak.

The Hooper, a mile event for 4-year-olds and up, was the first of seven stakes on Saturday's program that was headlined by the $3-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and the $1-million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1).

Performer, who had finished third over a sloppy Aqueduct track in the Cigar Mile (G1) in his previous start, had to work for his second career graded-stakes victory. Sent to post as the 4-5 favorite in a field of eight, the Shug McGaughey-trained 5-year-old broke from the rail post position, but jockey Joel Rosario deftly eased the son of Speightstown off the rail while chasing Shivaree and Dream Maker as they dueled along the backstretch during a 23.20-second first quarter of a mile. Performer advanced on the tiring pacesetters on the turn into the homestretch with an outside run as Eye of the Jedi split horses to his inside to take a narrow lead into the stretch.

Eye of a Jedi put up a battle to the wire under Marcos Meneses but was unable to hold off the favorite, who prevailed by a neck. Avant Garde closed from last to finish third, 1 ½ lengths farther back.

Performer ran a mile in 1:35.49

Fred W. Hooper (G3) Quotes

Winning Trainer Shug McGaughey (Performer): “It looked like [he broke a step slow} but he got him in the right spot. He did say, 'I've got to go along. I'm looking at the two horses on the lead and they're going along pretty easy too. I better get busy here.' I was glad when he got him to the outside. He looked like he wanted to hang with that horse on the lead a little bit, but he was able to finish up.”

“That's way was in my mind, the Gulfstream Mile [Feb. 27], but after watching him today, I might be looking for something to stretch him out around two turns.”

Winning Jockey Joel Rosario (Performer): “He broke well and it really looked like [Shivaree] was going to take the lead and the other horse on the outside, so I kind of just let him be in that spot. I didn't want to fall too far back but be there in the race, because he broke good and he got the job done. He's a nice horse.”

“The other horse ran good, he was right there. For a second, I thought he was going to come back and beat me but my horse kept fighting, and all the credit to him.”

“It feels good to be back, even for one day. I'm glad to be here.”

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