Mordi's Miracle On Top in Sunshine Millions Classic Preview at Gulfstream
Mordi's Miracle wins $150,000 Classic Preview at Gulfstream Park on Nov. 9, 2013. Photo by Adam Coglianese.
Mordi’s Miracle posted an upset in Saturday’s $150,000 Classic Preview at Gulfstream Park, but his three-length triumph could hardly be termed a miracle.
But if a phenomenon had occurred in the 1 1/16-mile feature of Saturday’s eight-race $1 million Sunshine Millions Preview event, it would have been that a Todd Pletcher-trained horse was sent to post by the bettors at odds of 10-1.
The 4-year-old colt, whose trainer is the defending 10-time champion at Gulfstream, might have seemed overmatched in a quest for his initial stakes victory while competing against a field with multiple-stakes winners Jackson Bend, Sr. Quisqueyano and Cash Rules. However, the son of Lawyer Ron did have the benefit of a Hall of Fame rider with the talent and know-how to engineer upsets.
"We thought they'd be a couple of horses on the lead. We went really well up the backstretch,” said jockey Edgar Prado, the winner of 6,674 races. “When we turned for home he just kicked into gear and moved on. It was a good trip."
Souper Speedy, the winner of three of his last four starts in New York at sprint distances, was sent to the lead to set the pace around the first turn and along the backstretch, stalked by Sr. Quisqueyano, a two-time stakes winner at Gulfstream during the current meeting, Mordi’s Miracle was positioned just behind the pacesetters while racing three-wide along the backstretch. Sr. Quisqueyano, ridden by Carlos Olivero, moved briefly to the lead leaving the backstretch but was quickly challenged by Mordi’s Miracle.
The Pletcher-trained colt moved to the lead leaving the turn into the homestretch and drew off under confident handling by Prado. Souper Speedy, the 6-5 favorite ridden by Jose Lezcano, came back to finish second, a neck ahead of Sr. Quisqueyano. Cash Rules finished fourth, followed by Jackson Bend, Joshua’s Comprise and Red Hills.
Mordi’s Miracle, who ran 1 1/16-miles in 1:42.92, had finished second in an allowance race at Gulfstream on Oct. 5 after breaking from the rail post position.
“Edgar gave him a perfect trip. We told him to warm him up good and to sit off the two speeds outside. I think this horse likes to be outside better,” said Anthony Sciametta, assistant to Pletcher. “It was perfect. You couldn’t ask for anything better. He improved of his last race. If he has his own way he runs. He got a perfect trip. It worked out.”
The Zayat Stables’ colt won for the third time in 13 starts.
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The $150,000 Distaff Preview kicked off the $1 million event in Saturday’s second race. My Pal Chrisy captured her third straight stakes since being privately purchased by Miller Racing, holding off a resurgent pacesetter Awesome Belle by three-quarters of a length, The Marty Wolfson-trained 1-5 favorite, who was stretching out around two turns after winning a pair of sprints, ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.13 under Jonathan Gonzales.
“I still think she’s better going short,” Wolfson said. “She’ll go in the (Sunshine Millions on Jan. 18), the short race (Filly & Mare Sprint). She probably won’t race until then. She’s run three times so I’m going to give her a little time off. She’s showing more speed. She used to come from way back going long. She laid Close today, showing more speed.”
Awesome Belle, the 2-1 second choice ridden by Jeffrey Sanchez, finished 7 ¾ lengths clear of third-place finisher Putyourdreamsaway and jockey Paco Lopez.
In the $125,000 Turf Preview, Bad Debt dominated six rivals to score by 6 ½ lengths under jockey Joel Rosario. The Michael Trombetta-trained 6-year-old gelding stalked the early pace before easily moving to the lead on the far turn and drawing off to a convincing victory.
“I thought there would be two or three speed horses in the race. I sat behind them,” Rosario said. “They looked like they were going a little fast, so I made my move and it was fun after that.”
The 4-5 favorite ran 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:45.06 to win his 14th race in 46 lifetime starts. Blameshifter, the 2-1 second choice ridden by Jose Alvarez, closed from off the pace to finish second, a neck ahead of 46-1 outsider Triple Cross.
In the $125,000 Filly & Mare Turf Preview, Lone Stable’s Parranda followed up her first career stakes victory last time out with a professional 1 ¾-length triumph under Jose Lezcano. The late-developing 4-year-old filly saved ground while tracking the pace along the rail before splitting horses at the top of the stretch and drawing away for another stakes score.
“She’s come around in her last few races. I think the trip to Monmouth (over the summer) did her good. She came back and that last race was awesome and now she’s repeated it,” Trainer Rodolfo Garcia said. “I’m surprised the last two races she’s been much closer to the pace. Usually she’s dead last and makes a move.”
The 3-1 second betting choice, who captured the $100,000 Our Dear Peggy Stakes at Gulfstream on Sept. 28, ran 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:46.33. Todd Pletcher-trained Silista, the even-money favorite ridden by Joel Rosario, finished second, a neck ahead of third-place finisher Millenia.
See the day's full charts here
