Sunday, August 11, 2024
HALLANDALE BEACH - Troy Johnson and Maritza Weston’s Win N Your In lived up to her 1-2 favoritism and then some Saturday at Gulfstream Park, following up a sharp maiden score with a thoroughly dominating triumph in the $95,000 Sharp Susan. She became the first stakes-winner for Ocala Stud Farm's freshman stallion, Win Win Win.
Three and a half hours later, sensational Nooni became Win Win Win's second stakes-winner, with a wire-to-wire score in the Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar.
The Sharp Susan, a six-furlong dash for 2-year-old fillies, co-headlined Saturday’s 11-race program with the $95,000 Proud Man, a six-furlong test for 2-year-olds. For many of their participants, both stakes provided dress rehearsals for the upcoming Florida Sire Stakes Series.
While Win N Your In was always in the clear while graduating by 7 ½ lengths in a fast time on July 6, but the daughter of Win Win Win had to make her own room to prevail by 4 ¾ lengths under Miguel Vasquez.
Win N Your In broke sharply but relinquished pacesetting honors to Wiggle An’ Wine, a recent debut winner who left her rail post position alertly under Emisael Jaramillo. The odds-on favorite settled nicely behind Wiggle An’ Wine and inside Vuela Paloma along the backstretch and on the far turn before being asked to slip inside the pacesetter on the turn into the homestretch. Win N Your In showed no hesitation while squeezing in the tight opening between Wiggle An’ Wine and the rail before surging to a clear lead entering the stretch and drawing away.
“She really delivered today. I didn’t want her on the lead. I told Miguel, ‘There are horses in the race with speed. Let them go to the lead and sit in the pocket,’” trainer Carlos David said. “I was a little worried coming into the turn. He really didn’t have much room, and he kind of forced her. They nicked her a little bit on the knee, but it’s not a big deal. It’s just superficial. Once she got through the hole, I saw him drop his hands and she was just cruising.”
Win N Your In ran six furlongs in 1:11.30. Wiggle An’ Wine, the 2-1 second choice, finished second, two lengths behind late rallying Bee a Queen. All three fillies are Florida Sire Stakes eligible.
“We’re trying to aim for those Florida Sire Stakes races, and they get longer and longer. The longer they go, the better it is to rate. She’s doing it on her own,” said David, who saddled three winners on Saturday’s card. Vasquez also visited the winner’s circle three times.
The $100,000 Desert Vixen, a six-furlong stakes for fillies, and the $100,000 Dr. Fager, a six-furlong open division for 2-year-olds, will kick off the Florida Sire Stakes series on Sept. 7. The $200,000 Susan’s Girl (fillies) and $200,000 Affirmed will be contested at seven furlongs on Oct. 19. The $300,000 My Dear Girl (fillies) and the $300,000 In Reality will be run at 1 1/16 miles on Nov. 30.
Mr. Pug and JPG 2’s Naughty Rascal withstood a stretch-long challenge from 6-5 favorite Classic of Course to capture the Proud Man by a neck. The son of Rogueish bred by Joe and Helen Barbazon, Ed Seltzer and Beverly Anderson is not nominated to the Florida Sire Stakes series. Classic of Course, a son of Awesome of Course who is eligible for the lucrative series, finished 3 ½ lengths clear of third-place finisher Joey Muscles, who rallied after being blocked at the top of the stretch.
Gerald Bennett-trained Naughty Rascal ($18) stalked a strong pace set by I’mbiggerthanilook along the backstretch before sweeping to the lead entering the stretch, where he met a challenge from Classic of Course, who finished fourth in the Tremont at Aqueduct after winning his debut at Gulfstream. Naughty Rascal was up to the challenge under a rigorous ride by Edwin Gonzalez. Naughty Rascal, who was coming off a July 21 debut victory at Gulfstream, ran six furlongs in 1:11.92.
SORRENTO STAKES; Nooni, the $1.8 million OBS March 2-year-old bred by Ocala Stud, coming off a 9 1/2-length maiden victory at Santa Anita, dominated the Gr. II, $150,000 race, going wire-to-wire and winning by 1 1/2 lengths, clocked in 1:10.41 for the six furlongs. The 2-year-old filly bred by Marion Mantovani collected $90,000 and now has banked $122,400. She has posted Equibase 'E' speed figures of 94 and 92 in her two tries.
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