HALLANDALE BEACH - Rodney Lundock’s Maryquitecontrary, the only 3-year-old in a field of highly experienced fillies and mares, captured Saturday’s $65,000 Sheer Drama at Gulfstream Park.

    The daughter of First Dude raced on the outside while stalking the early pace contested by Restofthestory and Frankly My Dear past fractions of :23.04 and :45.89 seconds for the first half mile of the seven-furlong stakes for Florida-breds. Corey took over the lead on the turn into the stretch, and was quickly joined on her outside by Starship Nala with Maryquitecontrary looming further outside.

     Starship Nala opened up a clear lead in mid-stretch, but the long-striding 3-year-old surged inside the 16th-pole to get to the finish line first by a neck. Favored at 9-5 on the basis of two victories and a second-place finish behind multiple stakes- winner Last Leaf in the Azalea Stakes, Maryquitecontrary ran seven furlongs in 1:23.42 under Luca Panici.

    “I wanted to stay clear, because every time I’ve ridden her, she was clear. She needed time to get herself together on the turn because she has such a long stride,” Panici said. “She has a good brain because at the end when she has a target she goes after it.”

    Starship Nala finished second under Jesus Rios, 3 ¼ lengths ahead of a late-rallying Don’t Get Khozy and Edgar Perez.

    The Joe Catanese-trained Maryquitecontrary was the new face in the field, in which six horses were exiting the Aug. 16 Surfside Handicap won by Don’t Get Khozy, followed by Restofthestory, Corey and Race Day Speed.

Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed 

    The 20-cent Rainbow 6 gross jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $300,000 on today’s program. First-race post time is set for 12:25 p.m. The multi-race wager has gone unsolved for the 12 days following an Aug. 13 mandatory payout.

    The Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 4-9, headlined by the $55,000 North Miami, a five-furlong overnight handicap for fillies and mares on Tapeta, in Race 8.

 

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