Graded-stakes winner Well Defined continued a successful comeback Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., capturing the $75,000 Benny The Bull Stakes by the rapidly diminishing winning margin of a neck.
Bred by Gil Campbell's Stonehedge LLC, The 5-year-old son of With Distinction, who captured the 2019 Grade 3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs in Tampa, Fla., won his sixth race from nine starts since coming off a layoff following a private purchase by his trainer Kathleen O'Connell.
“He needed some time off and Mr. Campbell has a lot of horses. I was willing to give him some time off,” O'Connell said of the sale. “It's a gamble. Sometimes, they come back and sometimes they don't. I have ones come back that have never been half of what they were. I'm just glad he made a whole recovery, and Mr. Campbell still reaps the benefits because he's the breeder. It's a win, win, win.”
Well Defined, who was sent to post as the 6-5 favorite in a field of seven in the seven-furlong stakes for Florida-breds, was beaten to the lead by Travy Boy, who set fractions of :22.75 and :45.03 seconds for the first half mile while pressed by the favorite. Well Defined took the lead entering the stretch under Emisael Jaramillo but started to falter in the final yards and was just able to hold off the late outside surge by Shivaree, a multiple-stakes winner who finished second behind Tiz The Law in the 2020 Grade 1 Florida Derby.
“I think he's better loose on the lead, but I think Jaramillo made a great decision sitting off a horse that was sharp coming off a layoff,” O'Connell said.
Well Defined, who earned a $25,000 Florida Sire Stakes Win Only bonus in addition to the winner's share of the purse, ran seven furlongs in 1:23.47. Shivaree finished three-quarters of a length ahead of third-place finisher Pro Quality.
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