Fashion Place all the way to win the Las Virgenes
Fashion Place and Gary Stevens went to the front and never looked back as they held off a late charge from favored Streaming to win the Grade 1 Las Virgenes Stakes. Sent off at odds of 9/2, Fashion Place (BetPTC.com Top Selection) went to the lead and set pretty honest fractions as she opened up two lengths going down the backstretch. Taste Like Candy (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection) and Streaming (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) stalked her the entire way and Streaming launched a big move going to the quarter pole. But Fashion Place and Stevens dug in down the lane and held off Streaming who battled hard, but fell half a length short in the end. Arethusa closed up to run third, only three quarters of a length behind Streaming.
In the Grade 2 Arcadia Stakes it was Winning Prize (BetPTC.com Top Selection) and Rafael Bejarano who took advantage of a perfect trip in behind speedster Regally Ready (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) to get the win. Winning Prize was a clear second as Regally Ready opened up a huge five length lead going down the backstretch. Regally Ready was still in front two lengths turning for home but Winning Prize closed the gap quickly and shot by late to win by a length and a half. Tom’s Tribute closed mightily to get up and snatch second from Regally Ready right at the wire.
Vinceremos upsets the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay
Vinceremos wasn’t the more highly thought of runner from the Todd Pletcher barn in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis on Saturday, but his nose proved to be just a bit longer as he inched out his stable-mate Harpoon to get the win. Sent off at odds of 12/1, Vinceremos was second early on as Cousin Stephen (BetPTC.com Top Selection) went out to set the early fractions. Asserting Bear actually passed Vinceremos on the turn and looked to be the main danger to Cousin Stephen, but Vinceremos and Edgar Prado battled back down on the inside and came back up the rail to get the win. Harpoon, Pletcher’s other entrant was far back early on but rallied and fell just a nose short.
In the Grade 3 South Tampa Bay Stakes it was Guys Reward who flew late to catch the big favorite Salto to get the win. Long shot Mellow Fellow went out to the front early on but Salto (BetPTC.com Top Selection) was close in tow. Salto made a huge move at the quarter pole and looked to be home free as he opened up almost three in mid-stretch. But Guys Reward and Abdiel Jaen came flying from in behind and blew by late to win by a length and a half.
Please Explain (BetPTC.com Top Selection) was last early on but first when it mattered as she rallied to take the Suncoast Stakes. Please Explain looked to be up against it as Nesso (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) and Light Bringer (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection) were close up behind slow fractions and they got first run taking the lead at the top of the lane. But Please Explain somehow overcame that tactical disadvantage and blew by her rivals, opening up to win by six lengths. Nesso was second and Light Bringer finished third capping a $75.00 Trifecta.
Wildcat Red dominates the Hutcheson
Wildcat Red was well backed at the windows and he rewarded those backers by drawing off to a near five length win in the $200,000 Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. Sent off as the 2/1 favorite, Wildcat Red (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) and Javier Castellano sat just behind early on as Gambler’s Ghost (BetPTC.com Top Selection) went out to the front early on. Gambler’s Ghost folded the tent turning for home and Wildcat Red exploded underneath Castellano and opened up to win by five emphatic lengths. C. Zee rallied up to finish second with Pablo Del Monte (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection) getting up into the third spot.
Wicked Tune and Elvis Trujillo pulled off an upset in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint. The race complexion changed early one when heavily favored Touchdown Tightend was bumped at the break and didn’t get off to his normal early lead. Bold Thunder ended up out front and Wicked Tune sat just off the pace in a comfortable spot early on. Trujillo made a brave run through down at the rail and Wicked Tune burst on through to grab the lead and win by three quarters of a length. Travelin Man got up for second at 14/1 and Determinato (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) got up for third at 18/1.