Bluegrass Singer Hits High Note at Gulfstream

Bluegrass Singer broke alertly from the gate to maintain an uncontested lead along the backstretch and continued on to a decisive 4 ¾-length victory in Wednesday’s featured ninth race at Gulfstream Park.

Trained by Marcus Vitali, the 2-year-old gelded son of Bluegrass Cat ran the one-turn mile in 1:36.35 under jockey Edgar Prado.

"I really like this horse a lot. I have high hopes for him,” said Vitali, who trains the Kentucky-bred gelding for Carolyn Vogel’s Crossed Sabres Farm LLC.

Nick Zito-trained Frammento closed well to finish second under Luis Saez, 2 ½ lengths ahead of favored third-place finisher Savoy Stomp.

Bluegrass Singer, who was purchased for $28,000 at the 2-year-olds-in-training sale at Timonium in May, broke his maiden in his third start with a front-running victory at 5 ½ furlongs at Gulfstream on Oct. 2. After a second-place finish in a mile turf event at Gulfstream Park West, he finished third in a three-horse photo in the six-furlong Buffalo Man at the Miami Gardens track on Nov. 29.

“He’s getting bigger and stronger every day. He’s a nice horse to be around. He shows all the signs of a racehorse. There’s no phony in him,” Vitali said.

A stakes appearance in his next race is “not out of the question,” Vitali said.

Miss Temple City won her second straight race in as many career starts in Wednesday’s co-featured eighth race with the look of a future stakes performer.

Saddled by assistant David Rock for trainer Graham Motion, the juvenile daughter of Temple City stalked the pace set by Back Flip into the stretch run of the 1 1/16-mile turf event before kicking clear by three lengths. Ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, Miss Temple City ran the distance for the claiming allowance in 1:42.55.

“It was very nice. David said to just get good position and save it for the end. It took me a little while,” Velazquez said. “The horse in front got away from me a little bit and it took me a little while to get her going again. Down the lane, I asked her again and she responded. It was a nice effort.”

Owned by Allen Rosenblum and The Club Racing, Miss Temple City had broken her maiden at first asking in a 5 ½-furlong turf race at Laurel on Oct. 10. The long-striding filly has trained at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, for Wednesday’s two-turn debut.

Todd Pletcher-trained Back Flip held second place under Prado, two lengths ahead of third-place finisher Magnificent Margo and jockey Joel Rosario.

WHO’S HOT:  Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado rode three winners. Prado won the second race with Milwaukee Woman ($8.20), the ninth aboard Bluegrass Winger ($8.40) and the 10th with More Than Rainbows ($15.60).

Note: Apprentice jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who earlier in the day won his first two races of the Championship Meet, was involved in a spill in the 10th race when his mount, Palace of Nowhere, was cut off shortly leaving the gate. Gaffalione walked away from the incident and Palace of Nowhere got up unharmed.

Rainbow 6 Carryover: $135,516.84.