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Pletcher Sends Out Pair Of Debut Winners At Gulfstream

Trainer Todd Pletcher unveiled a pair of impressive debut winners Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., where WinStar Farm LLC and Siena Farm were represented in the winner's circle by Emmanuel and Dean's List following their dominating triumphs in maiden special weight races for 2-year-olds.

Emmanuel, a son of More Than Ready, produced a dazzling front-running score in Race 7, running a mile in 1:36.47 to win by a comfortable 6 ¾ lengths as the 7-5 favorite.

Three races earlier on the card, Dean's List, a son of Speightstown, rolled to a 5 ½-length score in a six-furlong sprint.

“They had been workmates the last few times and they both trained like quality horses,” Pletcher said. “We were obviously not wanting to run them against one another, so we felt like this guy [Emmanuel] was better suited for the mile first time out. Glad it worked out.”

Both promising colts were ridden by Luis Saez, who also won the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector aboard Officiating.

Emmanuel, who broke cleanly and alertly from the rail post position, set fractions of :23.66 and :45.96 for the first half mile before completing six furlongs in 1:11.08 and seven furlongs in 1:23.66.

“I have to give him a lot of credit. To win from the one hole going a mile first time out, that's a demanding task. I'm proud of him for doing it and it looked like he did it the right way,” Pletcher said.

Dean's List pressed the pace set by Felix past fractions of :21.70 and :44.36 for a half mile before asserting himself in the stretch.

“We were hoping for a good performance. He'd been breezing like a horse that would run well in his debut. He broke sharply and ran a professional race,” Pletcher said. “They were rolling along but it looked like he was in hand, doing it comfortably, so we're happy with everything.”

The WinStar homebred, who went to post as the 6-5 favorite, ran six furlongs in 1:09.92.

Pletcher trained both More Than Ready, a most versatile G1 winner, and Speightstown, the 2014 Eclipse Award-winning sprinter – the respective sires of Emmanuel and Dean's List.

“We've had a lot of More Than Readys over the years, and this is a bigger, scopier colt than a lot of them,” Pletcher said. “I told someone this morning that was asking about him, I said he kind of reminds me of a Verrazano type – a big, physical, strong imposing colt. You're always concerned going a mile first time out, but we felt like he had shown us enough in the mornings.”

More Than Ready has been a highly successful sire of dirt and turf horses.

“It's been great to watch that over the years. It seems like just yesterday I was so anxious to see the first More Than Ready foals and now 20 years later, he's still going strong,” Pletcher said. “He's a phenomenal stallion, so versatile, he's just unbelievable.”

Dean's List is a Speightstown lookalike.

“He reminds us a lot of Speightstown. He's built like him and looks a lot like him,” said Pletcher. “Speightstown's had such a great career it's fun to have one.”

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Glass Ceiling Gets First Stakes Win In Garland Of Roses At Aqueduct

Glass Ceiling came home 2 ¼ lengths clear of Call On Mischief to take the $100,000 Garland of Roses at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., on Saturday, giving trainer and co-owner Charlton Baker back-to-back victories in the stakes. A six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, the Garland of Roses was the first stakes win of Glass Ceiling's career.

The 8-5 post-time favorite in the field of seven, Glass Ceiling broke from post position 6 with Dylan Davis up and settled at the back of the pack, racing three-wide as Sadie Lady led the field through an opening quarter-mile in :22.27 over the sloppy and sealed main track. Inching a bit closer at the half-mile pole, Glass Ceiling was swung to the outside and came under a ride from Davis rounding the turn to try and catch Sadie Lady.

Driving down the lane to the finish, Davis kept busy on the daughter of Constitution, rousing her to find more at the end and overtake the lead at the furlong pole. Glass Ceiling drew away from runner-up Call On Mischief at the sixteenth-pole and stopped the clock in a final time of 1:11.19.

Davis said the track condition led him to choose an outside path for the filly.

“The kickback was really bothering her,” said Davis. “I just tried to get on heels behind the four [Just Read It] and the three [Letmetakethiscall] and save some ground, but she just wasn't handling it. I just opted to come outside. She's way better than what she was doing down the backside and I was able to get her in the clear. I had to sacrifice some ground for her to have some clean air and once she came out, she came with a full run.”

Davis guided Glass Ceiling to an allowance score in September ahead of a runner-up effort to Lady Rocket last out in a division of the Pumpkin Pie in October, both at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

“She's nice to ride and she does everything well,” Davis said. “Charlie does a good job with her and I think we're going to have a good time this winter.”

Baker echoed Davis' sentiments about the off-track.

“She didn't handle the kickback very well,” Baker said. “Once she turned for home and got clear, it seemed like she was doing it well. She's a nice filly and she tries all the time. She's getting there. She's definitely on the improve. Hopefully, she has more in the tank to go forward. That's what we're gambling on.”

Runner-up in the faster division of the seven-furlong Pumpkin Pie in her prior start, Baker said the cutback in distance did not benefit Glass Ceiling.

“Seven-eighths might be a little more her distance, but I think she's sharp enough where she's comfortable with six furlongs,” Baker said.

Call On Mischief, who exited the inside post under Jose Lezcano, saved ground in fourth and raced along the rail up the backstretch and into the turn before being swung to the center of the racetrack. Under a strong ride, she made her bid for Glass Ceiling but could not match her foe and settled for second.

“She ran a huge race,” Lezcano said. “The winner has just been running so well lately. My filly gave me her race, she did nothing wrong.”

The New York-bred Letmetakethiscall finished third, 2 ½ lengths the better of fellow state-bred Sadie Lady, who tired and held on to fourth over Song River by a nose to round out the superfecta.

Starfront and Just Read It completed the order of finish.

Now with a stakes victory to her credit, Baker says a start in the $100,000 Interborough on January 15 at Aqueduct may be on the table for Glass Ceiling.

“I think we're going to go until February and then give her a break until the spring and then get her back,” Baker said. “That's my plan right now. I'm looking at the [Interborough] and then maybe Maryland in February.”

Glass Ceiling banked $55,000 for her Garland of Roses victory, increasing her total purse winnings to $332,612 and improving her record to 5-6-4 from 23 starts. A $2 win wager on Glass Ceiling returned $5.30.

Glass Ceiling's victory was the third Garland of Roses win for Baker, who took down last year's running with Honor Way and the 2014 edition with Expression.

Live racing resumes Sunday with a nine-race card to wrap up week one of the winter meet at the Big A. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Officiating Graduates To Graded Stakes Winner In Mr. Prospector

Over a fast track at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., Officiating stalked the pace set by Wind of Change, went three-wide into the stretch, and took the lead in the last furlong to win the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector over Endorsed and Dennis' Moment.

At the break in the seven-furlong G3 stakes, Wind of Change showed his head in front first, taking a one-length lead inside the first furlong. Into the first turn, Wind of Change maintained that advantage over Doc Amster and Officiating, setting fractions of :22.18 for the first quarter and :44.75 for the half mile. Into the far turn, Officiating went three-wide, going to the outside of Wind of Change and Doc Amster as they hit the top of the stretch.

In the Gulfstream straight, Officiating and Doc Amster passed Wind of Change, with Dennis' Moment and Endorsed on the outside challenging. Officiating pulled clear with a furlong to go and held off a late surging Endorsed to win the Mr. Prospector by three-quarters of a length. Endorsed was second, with Dennis' Moment holding on for third. Doc Amster, Wind of Change, Flap Jack, and Poppy's Pride rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the seven furlongs was 1:22.28. Find this race's chart here.

Officiating paid $16.80, $6.00, and $3.60. Endorsed paid $3.20 and $2.40. Dennis' Moment paid $2.60.

Bred in Florida by owner Vegso Racing Stable, Officiating is by Blame out of the Dixie Union mare Come a Callin. He is trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. The 3-year-old colt was a $100,000 RNA consigned by Eaton Sales at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. With his win in the G3 Mr. Prospector, Officiating has three wins in 10 starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of 14-3-4-2 and career earnings of $206,547.

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Grand Luwegee Goes Gate To Wire In Louisiana Champions Day Classic Stakes

On the Louisiana Champions Day card, state-bred horses were center stage, with Grand Luwegee, winner of the 2020 Champions Day Classic, repeating his winning performance at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La.

A year after he dueled with Shang in the stretch and eked out a Classic win by a head, the 6-year-old was fastest away from the gate, taking the lead over Pound for Pound and Unrestricted into the first turn. He maintained that lead down the backstretch, moving out to a two-length advantage over Pound for Pound and Highland Creek. Into the far turn, Grand Luwegee held on in the face of challenges from those two as they entered the stretch.

Down the Fair Grounds straight, Grand Luwegee was two lengths to the good as Highland Creek passed Pound for Pound midstretch. The 2020 victor had no trouble repeating in 2021, stretching his lead out to three lengths at the wire. Highland Creek was second and Pound for Pound held on for third. Jimi's a Star, Secret Vista, Mageez, and Unrestricted rounded out the order of finish.

The final time was 1:51.00. Find this race's chart here.

Grand Luwegee paid $8.00, $3.40, and $2.60. Highland Creek paid $3.00 and $2.20. Pound for Pound paid $2.20.

Bred in Louisiana by trainer/owner Gerard Perron, Grand Luwegee is by El Corredor out of the Gold Fever mare Magical Mia. With his win in the Lousiana Champions Day Classic, the 6-year-old horse has two wins in nine starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of eight wins in 30 starts and career earnings of $491,150.

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