Wildcat Heir 10-Year-Old Has Paid Any Price 19 Times

Monday, July 6, 2020

Bernies Blog

HALLANDALE BEACH - 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.

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 out to 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 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 the $60,000 In The Breeze, covering a mile on a 'good' 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 with jockey Hector Berrios. The filly finished third in the Jessamine and seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf as a 2-year-old, and third in the Herecomesthebride last year.

Wednesday’s Rainbow 6 Pool Guaranteed at $400,000

When Gulfstream resumes racing Wednesday afternoon the 20-cent Rainbow 6 will have a guaranteed pool of $400,000. First race post is noon. The sequence will begin with a 3-year-old and up claiming race going five furlongs on the turf in the fifth race. The sequence has four races scheduled on the turf.

NOTE: Magic Stables LLC’s 2-year-old colt Papetu remained unbeaten in two starts when he drove away from six others to win Gulfstream’s first juvenile allowance race of the meet. The Son of Gone Astray covered the 5 ½ furlongs in 1:04.46. The filly Princess Secret finished second and Famous Gent third . . . Whisper Hill Farm LLC’s Doll Collection, a 4-year-old filly by Tapit out of champion Groupie Doll, broke her maiden Sunday, covering seven furlongs in 1:24.23.