Last Leaf Victorious In Hollywood Beach, Pro Quality Best In Wildcat Heir At Gulfstream

Trainer Ron Spatz admits he didn't know how Monarch Stables Inc's 2-year-old filly Last Leaf would handle the turf in Saturday's $75,000 Hollywood Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

“My legs are tired. I've been doing a rain dance for three days,” said Spatz, whose filly won twice on the main track before facing colts and geldings in the Hollywood Beach. “They tell me top and bottom is good for [turf], but she has small feet so I really didn't know.”

Any doubts Spatz might have had were erased when Last Leaf drove past a game Nerve in the final sixteenth to win the Hollywood Beach by a head. Barone Cesco was a fast-closing third, another head behind Nerve.

A daughter of Not This Time who has now won three of five starts, Last Leaf covered a 'good' five-furlong course in :57.46 after chasing Nerve past fractions of :22.32 and :45.40. The filly has won at 5 ½ furlongs on a fast track, six furlongs on a sloppy track, and on the turf.

“I told [Monarch Stables Inc.] 'You have an all-terrain vehicle now. That's a good thing,” Spatz said.

In the $125,000 Wildcat Heir, Rodney Lundock's Pro Quality, a 4-year-old gelding trained by Ralph Catanese and ridden by Luca Panici, drove past Shivaree inside the final sixteenth pole to win by lengths

Pro Quality, a son of Exclusive Quality, came into the Wildcat Heir off third-place finishes in the City of Dania and Benny The Bull. Panici raced fourth down the backstretch past fractions of :23.91 and :46.91 before Panici moved Pro Quality three-wide entering the stretch and driving to the finish.

Pro Quality has won four races and has placed first, second or third in 11 of his 13 starts.

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Florida Sire Series Wraps Up With My Dear Girl, In Reality Saturday At Gulfstream

The $1.4 million FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series will wrap up Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., with the $400,000 My Dear Girl, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for fillies, and the $400,000 In Reality, the 1 1/16-mile open division.

The FSS series finals for 2-year-olds sired accredited Florida stallions will be supported on Saturday's program by the $125,000 FSS Wildcat Heir, a mile stakes for 3-year-olds and up sired by accredited Florida Stallions, and the $100,000 Hollywood Beach, a five-furlong turf sprint for 2-year-olds.

LNJ Foxwoods' Outfoxed, a breathtaking 13 ½-length winner of the $200,000 FSS Susan's Girl Aug. 28 at Gulfstream, is the star attraction in the My Dear Girl. The Bill Mott-trained daughter of Valiant Minister has subsequently had a pair of half-mile breezes at Gulfstream.

Outfoxed broke her maiden in the seven-furlong Susan's Girl while coming off a third-place finish behind Echo Zulu in a Saratoga maiden special weight race July 15. Echo Zulu came right back to capture the Sept. 5 Spinaway (G1) at Saratoga.

Stonehedge LLC's Cajun's Magic, the winner of the $100,000 FSS Dr. Fager, and Arindel's Octane, who captured the $200,000 FSS Affirmed, are slated to clash in the In Reality around two turns. Octane led throughout the Affirmed while finishing 3 ¼ lengths clear of runner-up Cajun's Magic.

Gulfstream will also host the Taste at the Track event Saturday Bourbon & BBQ. The unlimited testing event begins at 1 p.m. in the Flamingo Room. Guests will be able to enjoy a variety of southern-style dishes, paired with your favorite premium bourbons, whiskeys and handcrafted cocktails.

For tickets go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/taste-at-the-track-bourbon-bbq-tickets-165899514915

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10-Year-Old Pay Any Price Prevails In Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint

Pay Any Price, the 10-year-old gelding owned by Averill Racing LLC and Matties Racing Stable LLC, held off a late rally by Ambassador Luna to win Sunday's $75,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint by a nose over a 'good' turf course at Gulfstream Park.

A son of Wildcat Heir trained by Georgina Baxter, Pay Any Price has won 19 of 33 races, including nine stakes. The gelding won the Umphrey in 2017 and 2018, the Crystal River in 2018 and 2019, and was second in the Jim McKay Turf Sprint in 2017.

The win was especially pleasing to Baxter after Pay Any Price lost his three previous starts.

“This horse is amazing, isn't he?” Baxter said. “I know his last two runs were questionable but you can never write this horse off. You have to respect him every time he steps on the racetrack.

“He's special to me. He's special to everyone in the barn. He's 10 years old. His worst enemy is his attitude, but he's turned into be our best friend – the fact that he is so goofy and quirky. He's still so good and so fast and still running well at 10 years old.”

Pay Any Price popped out of the gate under jockey Edgard Zayas and set fractions of :21.84 and :44.03 before hitting the wire first. The gelding was bred in Florida by Brent and Crystal Fernung and has now won 16 of 24 starts at Gulfstream.

Earlier in the afternoon, GU Racing Stable LLC's Belle Laura split horses around the turn and drove to an impressive victory in Sunday's $60,000 In The Breeze, covering a good mile turf course in 1:35.32.

The 4-year-old daughter of Mucho Macho Man, facing 10 others, including six stakes winners, was fifth down the backstretch before moving between pacesetter Dangerous Curves and Rosa Star around the turn and then driving away to a 4 ½ length victory over Great Sister Diane. Midnight Soiree was third.

Belle Laura is now two-for-two this year under the shedrow of trainer Juan Avila and jockey Hector Berrios. The filly finished third in the Jessamine (G2) and seventh in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) as a 2-year-old, and third in the Herecomesthebride (G3) last year.

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