It's not simple to get into trouble in a four-horse field, but the connections of Gulfport will witness how it can happen.
The scene was August 13th at the Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) when William and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Jackpot Farm, Whispering Oaks Farm and Ashford Studs son of Uncle Mo was about a 2-5 favorite in a field of just four 2-year-olds.
The start of the race was uneventful, with Gulfport and jockey Joel Rosario running in third place.
Then, while making a move on the turn, he “bumped into” the eventual winner, Damon's Hill when racing between horses. Shortly thereafter, Gulfport checked sharply. Gulfport lost ground and momentum and found itself 3 1/2 lengths behind Damon's Mound in the middle distance and had to settle for second place, 3 1/4 lengths behind the winner and seven lengths ahead of the third horse.
“I thought (Rosario) was a little overconfident and was put in an unnecessary situation that I couldn't overcome,” coach Steve Asmussen said. “It’s amazing to find so much trouble in a field of four horses.”
After this fiasco, Gulfport will have a second chance Saratoga Race Track The 2-year-old will win when Flavien Prat is onboard in the seven-furlong, $300,000 Hopeful Stakes (G1) on September 5, the final stakes on the final day at the Spa.
“He is an extremely talented stallion and we were very disappointed that he was beaten in the Saratoga Special,” said Asmussen, “but Hopeful gives him the right stage to prove who he is.”
The excitement for Gulfport in the Saratoga Special was understandable considering his 2-for-2 record was capped by a finish of 12 1/4 lengths at odds of 1-5 in the Bashford Manor Stakes Churchill Downs. A seven-length debut winner, also at Churchill Downs, he covered the six furlongs of Bashford Manor in a blistering time of 1:09.25 after leading throughout.
“He's very talented, and any time you can make a horse run that speedy, it's electrifying,” said Asmussen, who is seeking a fourth straight win at Hopeful.
Bred by Diamond Creek Farm The Unbridled song The mare Fame and Fortune, Gulfport was purchased by Pick View for $275,000 from Eaton Sales consignment at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Select Yearling Sale.
Nasser Bin Omairahs Mon Strike also caused a lot of excitement in his two starts. After winning outright at Churchill Downs on June 19, he traveled to Saratoga and stormed to a 3 1/2 victory in the Sanford Stakes (G3) on July 16 for trainer Brad Cox.
Mo Strike wins the Sanford Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
In this debut, Uncle Mo's son batted Disarm who recovered from a third place finish to take his first 6 1/4 length victory at Spa on August 6th.
Bred by Blue Heaven Farm and Ashford Stud, Mo Strike sold for $325,000 from the Gene Recio consignment at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.
Rodeo Creek Racing Flaming sevens He also put in a stunning performance at Spa, winning his debut on July 24 by 6 1/4 lengths for leading trainer Chad Brown. A son of Good magic he was hit during the break on his individual start and raced too far, but still managed to win while relaxing under the barrier.
The sport's living legend, 87-year-old Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, was two of the six participants at BC Stables. Bourbon Bash And West Ghent (American Pharaoh ), a first-time winner in his fourth start, owned by Bob and Ann Ghent and Lukas and his wife Laurie.
Bourbon Bash, a son of City of Lithe achieved an eight-length score in his first race on August 13th in the competition, but before that he was a distant second to Blazing Sevens.
“I’m still excited about a promising adolescent two-year-old. When Bourbon Bash won recently, it was a highlight for me,” said Lukas, who turned 87 on September 2nd. “He woke up in that race.” I think that was a crucial race for him and he's trained really challenging since then. It will be captivating to see if he can move up in Hopeful.
Lukas, the former holder of the sport's all-time wins mark, has won the Hopeful a record eight times. His last victory came in 2017 with Robert Baker and William Mack Sporting opportunity .
Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Strength finished fourth in the Sanford after recording a 7 3/4-length victory on debut Belmont Park.
“The track was probably a little deep for his taste (at the Sanford). The pace didn’t come back much,” coach Todd Pletcher said of the son of Violence . “I think he should appreciate the extra distance.”
Entries: Hopeful S. (G1)
Saratoga Race Course, Monday September 5, 2022, Race 11
- Class I
- 7f
- dirt
- $300,000
- 2 years
- 6:11 p.m. (local)
