February 3, 2006
This year's renewal of the $500,000 Donn Handicap (G1) at Gulfstream Park saw the return to the track of 2006 Horse of the Year winner Invasor, making his first start since his Breeders' Cup Classic win in preparation for his next start in the Dubai World Cup. A field of eight older horses went to post in this 1 1/8 mile event, with Magna Graduate sent off as the 4-1 second choice and Chatain the 6-1 third choice.
37-1 Barcola led the field for the first 6 furlongs while jockey Fernando Jara elected to keep Invasor back in seventh taking a ground-saving path along the rail. This strategy almost failed, as, turning for home, Invasor moved up on the leaders on the inside but went right into a blind switch with the tiring Chatain backing into him. Invasor was checked hard, but once Jara asked him to get going he charged through the opening, accelerated through the stretch, and drew away to a 2 length win over 16-1 Hesanoldsalt in 1:48.43 over the fast track. Chatain finished fourth while Magna Graduate was last.
Winning jockey Fernando Jara said, "He has a really big heart. I wasn't worried (about being in tight). The horse found his own space. I had a lot of horse to go on and a lot of horse left at the end." Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin added, "I thought he was stopped. He showed what a superior horse he is. He finds a way to win every time. I was worried when Fernando came up the inside, because when you're 1-to-5, everybody knows who you are, and nobody wants to open the door for you. It was scary, but he showed why he was Horse of the Year."
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Kicking off the stakes action on Donn Day was the $100,000 Deputy Minister Handicap (G3) for older sprinters at 6 1/2 furlongs. 2-1 second choice Keyed Entry led at every call to win by 5 lengths over 3-2 favorite Sir Greeley in 1:15.72. Winning jockey John Velazquez said, "He had a really good trip. All I wanted to do was get him out in the clear and keep him going. He did it pretty easily." Owner Jack Wolf of Starlight Stable added, "He'd been on the farm with Barry (Berkelhammer, bloodstock agent and advisor) and he got this horse to looking the way he did today. By the time he got back to training, he was just doing super and able to do what we saw today. I would think that as long as we don't screw it up, this horse has a future as a very good sprinter."
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The $100,000 Swale Stakes (G2) saw seven 3-year-olds sprint 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track. 5-2 second choice Adore the Gold set the pace under pressure along the inside, then edged away from 4-1 third choice Forefathers through the stretch to win by 3/4 length in 1:15.86. 3-2 favorite Cowtown Cat was third. Winning jockey Cornelio Velasquez said, "The trip was good. The plan was to stay in behind, but he (Adore the Gold) wanted the lead today. He was going easily. I had a lot of horse at the 1/8 pole. Forefathers pressured him at the head of the lane. I still had a lot of horse." Trainer Michael Gorham added, "He's already gone two turns. He's never seen a crowd this big, and that might be why he was he was a little intimidated. Cornelio got after him and straightened him out. We wanted to get out there and get a position, but he was so quick, he didn't want to take him back. So he let him hold his spot."
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The $100,000 Canadian Turf Handicap (G3) for older horses at 1 1/16 miles on the turf featured the return of Breeders' Cup Mile and Turf Male Eclipse winner Miesque's Approval. However, the heavy 4-5 favorite failed to fire and was a disappointing fifth, as 16-1 longshot Giant Wrecker was loose on the lead early and conserved enough energy to hold off late-running 7-2 second choice Host in the final strides to win by a head in 1:39.70. Winning jockey Javier Castellano said, "He had a beautiful trip. There wasn't too much speed in the race and he settled down and got comfortable down the backside. He was a little rank the first part and we had wanted to cover him up, but with the lack of other speed, I just let him go ahead and he held on until the end. Trainer Mark Hennig added, "He's been a little slow developing, but he's been coming around. I told Javier that if he does break sharp, don't try to fight him. We'll look at our options."
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The $100,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) featured 3-year-olds at 1 mile around one turn of the main track, and is a major local prep for the Triple Crown. 7-10 favorite Nobiz Like Shobiz ran to expectation, setting the pace under pressure by 2-1 second choice Scat Daddy down the backstretch, then all out through the stretch to win by 1 1/2 lengths over late-running 27-1 Drums of Thunder in 1:35.47, while Scat Daddy was third. Winning jockey Cornelio Velasquez said, "He won easily today moving on the lead. Every time they came to him, he pulled away. At the 3/8 pole I just let him run on." Trainer Barclay Tagg added, "It was exactly what I wanted. I wanted to get a good race in him without undue stress to win the race. We'll see how he comes out of this race. Maybe the Fountain of Youth (Mar. 3) will be next."
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The second turf stakes on the card was the $100,000 Suwannee River Handicap (G3) for older fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles. 11-10 favorite Naissance Royale was held up early in seventh while saving ground on the rail well off the pace set by Silversider. Tracking the leaders entering the stretch, she switched to the outside and closed with a rush to win by a neck over 7-2 second choice J'ray in 1:46.58. Winning jockey Edgar Prado said, "She's a beautiful filly. You saw what she can do today. I think the post position (1) helped her a lot. Last time she drew the outside and was fanned wide. She can run down any horse in the stretch. It was a perfect trip today." Trainer Christophe Clement added, "She's been very consistent. I was pretty confident. When they are special they can overcome bad trips and any other problems that come their way. She's due to be bred. We'll see."
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