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Bad Beat Brian Drives To Victory In Claiming Crown Canterbury

Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher's Bad Beat Brian, stuck behind a wall of horses entering the far turn, swung into the clear approaching the stretch and came with a steady drive through the lane to edge Xy Speed by a length in the $90,000 Claiming Crown Canterbury Stakes at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

Bad Beat Brian ($10.20) ran five furlongs in :54.78 over a firm turf course to extend trainer Mike Maker's record to 19 career Claiming Crown victories with his first in the Canterbury. He has won at least one race in all but three Claiming Crowns since 2007.

“Hopefully, we'll get a couple more,” Maker said.

Bad Beat Brian was unhurried under jockey Emisael Jaramillo while saving ground in the early going, as Oct. 2 Laurel Dash winner Xy Speed went right to the front and was challenged by Admiral Abe through a sizzling opening quarter-mile in :21.12. Xy Speed maintained an advantage around the turn and straightened for home in front after going a half in :43.46, with Jaramillo swinging out into the clear.

“The horse broke really sharp and the pace was lively. I was just hoping we'd have a chance somewhere to get out, and he did and ran them down,” Maker said. “As soon as he got him out without getting stopped, I felt pretty confident.”

Xy Speed held second, with 24-1 long shot The Connector third, and Harry's Ontheloose fourth. Discreet Tune was fifth with narrow 3-1 favorite Belgrano checking in seventh.

A 4-year-old Jack Milton gelding, Bad Beat Brian had gone winless in four starts since being claimed back by Maker for $40,000 July 16 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., after losing him for $62,500 one start earlier at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

“He's good. He's a maintenance-free horse, very easy-going,” Maker said. “He's a favorite around the barn.”

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Sugar Fix Surges Late To Take Claiming Crown Tiara Stakes

Beaten after looking like a winner at the top of the stretch last year, Big Frank Stable and Mad Dog Racing Stable's Sugar Fix came from off the pace and surged late to earn a 1 ¼-length victory in the $95,000 Claiming Crown Tiara.

It was the second straight victory for jockey Edgard Zayas and trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who also teamed up with Face of Victory in the $75,000 Express. The winning time was 1:40.19 for about 1 1/16 miles on a firm turf course.

“The race before, I told Edgard to be aggressive. This race I said, 'patience,' and he executed,” Joseph said. “Like most of the Claiming Crown races, you know your horse is doing well but like I was telling the owner, you can run third or fourth having run your race. Thankfully she ran her best today.”

Centsless Drama was quickest from the gate and led though a quarter-mile in :22.91, pressed by fellow longshot Act Like Artie. Zayas settled Sugar Fix in fourth, where they still were after a half in :47.26. They tipped outside and moved into a contending position on the turn, reeled in the leaders, and slingshot past for her 10th career victory.

Passion Plus got up for second, with Whimsical Muse third and 8-5 favorite Kahiko fourth.

Sugar Fix, a bay 4-year-old daughter of Treasure Beach, hadn't raced since finishing fourth in a one-mile, 70-yard allowance Sept. 8 at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Ky., a race she won last year heading into the Claiming Crown. In the 2020 Tiara, she took a 1 ½-length lead into the stretch but couldn't hold it and wound up second to Queens Embrace.

“Last year, she got a good trip, she just got beat. This year, I think she actually went into the race better,” Joseph said. “Last year, she won her prep at Kentucky Downs, and then kind of lost her way. I don't think she was at her best. This year, she got beat out there and then we couldn't get a race to go so she had a good freshening. I thought today she ran a good race. It was a tough race. You never know if you're going to win.”

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Payntdembluesaway Sprints To Victory In Claiming Crown Distaff Dash

All My Hart Racing, Inc.'s Payntdembluesaway dueled with 46-1 long shot Cat's Astray for a half-mile before putting that rival away and sprinting clear to a popular four-length victory in the $90,000 Claiming Crown Distaff Dash at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The Distaff Dash was the third straight victory on the program for jockey Paco Lopez including the $75,000 Iron Horse Kent Stirling Memorial with Blue Steel. Payntdembluesaway ($5.60), favored at 9-5 in a field of 12, covered the distance in :55.31 over a firm course.

“She runs the way she runs. There is no tactics or anything. She just breaks and runs. She's really, really fast, and she just loves to run,” winning trainer Jane Cibelli said. “Paco and I talked in the paddock and he said, 'What do you think? There's some speed in there.' I said, 'Paco, you've ridden her how many times? You know her better than anybody. Just when the gates open, see what she does.'”

Lopez has been aboard Payntdembluesaway for six of her eight career victories, including five straight from November 2019 to Jan. 28, part of the 5-year-old mare's six-race win streak. They broke alertly and immediately hooked up with Cat's Astray, going a quarter-mile in :21.67 and the half in :43.85, taking over the lead for good in mid-stretch and drawing away.

“That's exactly how she likes to run. She likes to sit on the outside of the speed and she was just running easily,” Cibelli said. “Paco wasn't asking her at all. She's just fast.”

Drop a Hint, at 19-1, emerged from a tight trailing pack to be second, with Beantown Baby third, Cat's Astray fourth, and Odramark fifth, separated by a head and two necks.

Payntdembluesaway returned to her winning ways after two consecutive off-the-board finishes, eight months apart. She was fourth after forcing the pace in the five-furlong Lightning City Feb. 24 at Tampa Bay Downs in Tampa, Fla., returning to be eighth following a wide trip over a yielding course in a 5 ½-furlong optional claimer Oct. 28 at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

“You look at her previous races, and you think if she runs back to her races of last year then she wins the race,” Cibelli said. “But, that last race was disappointing. It was yielding turf and she was on the outside, but it was still disappointing. You [wonder], is she going to come back? She did.”

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Sweet Willemina Rallies To Win Claiming Crown Glass Slipper

Richard Ciavardone and Home Team Stable's Sweet Willemina ($18.60) emerged from a pack of horses in mid-stretch and rallied past Our Fantasy to capture Saturday's $80,000 Glass Slipper at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The Scott Lake-trained 4-year-old daughter of Reason d'Etat, who was coming off her first loss in seven starts since being claimed by her connections for $32,000, rebounded with a last-jump decision over Our Fantasy in the mile starter stakes for fillies and mares that have run for a claiming price of $12,500 or less in 2020-2021.

Sweet Willemina, a Parx-based filly who broke her maiden for a $10,000 claiming price in September 2020, ran the mile in 1:36.68 under Silvestre Gonzalez to return to winning form after finishing second in an optional claiming allowance at Parx last time out.

“She's a beast,” Lake said. “Her last race when she got beat – Silvestre and I talked about it and thought he rode her over-confidently and didn't go after the lone speed,” Lake said. “We were a little worried coming in because she wasn't quite as sharp coming off that race. But she's been training great down here. Silvestre did a great job.”

Our Fantasy made a sweeping move to the lead coming off the stretch turn to open a clear early lead under Edgard Zayas but was unable to hold off Sweet Willemina by a head. Lets Be Honest finished third a length back.

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