Gimme Da Lute Canters Home in Real Good Deal

Heavily-favored Gimme Da Lute completed a coast-to-coast stakes double for trainer Bob Baffert Sunday as the three-year-old colt emulated his Triple Crown champion stablemate American Pharoah, winner of the $1.75 million Haskell Invitational, with a romping triumph in the featured $200,000 Real Good Deal Stakes at Del Mar.

 

While Baffert was in New Jersey sending out American Pharoah to a brilliant victory in the nine-furlong Haskell at Monmouth Park, Gimme Da Lute drew off in the Del Mar stretch for an impressive twelve and one-quarter length win in the seven-furlong Real Good Deal for California-bred sophomores.

 

Martin Garcia piloted Gimme Da Lute, a son of Midnight Lute owned and bred by the partnership of Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. Scoring his fifth win in eight starts, the colt earned $110,000 to increase his career bankroll to $567,560. As the 2-5 favorite, he returned $2.80, $2.40 and $2.10. With strong action to show, there was a minus pool of $25,933.

 

Rocko’s Wheel, a length in front of Grazen Sky at the wire, paid $4.80 and $2.80 while Grazen Sky returned $2.20 to show. Completing the field were Richard’s Boy, Smack Talk and Neveradoubt.

 

Gimme Da Lute was recording his third stakes success in a row, having won the Affirmed at Santa Anita and the Los Alamitos Derby in his last two starts.

 

With $968,931 in “new” money wagered Sunday and a one-day carryover from Saturday of $151,427, the total Pick Six pool was $1,120,358. There were 185 perfect tickets and each was worth $3,614.80.