Bluegrass Singer Ready to Take on Two Turns

Bluegrass Singer exited his impressive victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park “tired but doing well,” reported trainer Marcus Vitali Sunday morning.

The 3-year-old son of Bluegrass Cat, who was purchased by Crossed Sabres Farm for $28,000 as a 2-year-old-in-training in May, overcame an awkward start to score by 1 ¾ lengths in the one-turn mile stakes, the first major 3-year-old event of the New Year. Bluegrass Singer set a fast, pressured pace before sprinting clear in the stretch to complete the mile in 1:35.83 under Javier Castellano.

“I always knew he had a lot of talent. I felt we would get our money’s worth, but I didn’t know how good he’d turn out,” Vitali said from his Gulfstream Park West base.

Vitali said a decision hasn’t been made yet about his next start but is confident that the 3-year-old gelding is ready to stretch out around two turns.

“I think we’ve prepared him for the two-turn challenge. I eased him into different distances feeling he was going to get better with each start,” said Vitali, who indicated that Bluegrass Singer would be given an opportunity on the Road to the $1 million Besilu Stables Florida Derby (G1; March 28).

The manner in which he has streaked to back-to-back front-running victories might suggest that Bluegrass Singer is speed crazy, but Vitali is confident that he’ll rate.

“He’s probably the most laid-back horse in the barn. When you gallop him, you gallop with lose reins,” Vitali said. “Game day, I guess he puts his game face on, so to speak.”

Source: Gulfstream Park Communications