Gulfstream: Temple gets 1st graded-stakes win in Mac Diarmida
Under a heady ride from jockey Jose Ortiz, Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher’s well-traveled Temple broke through with his first graded-stakes victory and gave trainer Mike Maker a piece of history in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Mac Diarmida on the turf at Gulfstream Park.
Now a seven-time winner from 34 career starts, Temple ($10.40) had placed in three previous graded-stakes including a second in the W.L. McKnight (G3) on Jan. 29 at Gulfstream. He made Maker the first trainer ever to win the Mac Diarmida three times, having captured back-to-back editions with Zulu Alpha in 2019 and 2020.
Fourth in last year’s Mac Diarmida, Temple settled in third as 60-1 long shot Safe Conduct led the way through the stretch the first time and into the backstretch with Temple’s Maker-trained stablemate Tide of the Sea, the 2021 Mac Diarmida runner-up, in second.
Abaan, the 3-5 favorite off three straight wins including the McKnight, got shuffled back from his typical front-running position and trailed the field early.
Ortiz gave Temple a clear run and they took over the top spot rounding the far turn and approaching the stretch for the second time with Abaan tipped outside and Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher-trained stablemate Shamrocket further out.
Temple quickly accelerated away from his foes through the lane as Shamrocket gave closest chase to finish second with Media Blitz third and Abaan fourth.
The winning time was 2:15.30 for about 1 3/8 miles. Temple and Media Blitz were among five horses Maker saddled for the Mac Diarmida, along with Kygo, Glynn County and Tide of the Sea.
The 27th running of the Mac Diarmida for older turf horses was the richest of six turf stakes on the Fountain of Youth undercard.
In Italian speaks to victory in Honey Fox
Peter Brant’s British-bred In Italian, making her stakes debut off back-to-back wins, sprinted out to an early lead and never lost it, holding off a furious late bid from Wakanaka to capture Saturday’s $150,000 Honey Fox (G3) at Gulfstream Park.
The 37th running of the one-mile Honey Fox for fillies and mares 4 and up was the fifth of nine stakes, eight graded, worth $1.7 million on a spectacular 13-race program headlined by the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) for 3-year-olds on the road to the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) April 2.
Renamed in 2001 to honor the Florida-bred mare that won nine stakes and 13 of 25 career starts, three of them Grade 2 races including the 1981 Orchid at Gulfstream, the Honey Fox was run as the Joe Namath Stakes in 1985 and Joe Namath Handicap from 1986-2000. It was the fourth of six supporting turf stakes led by the $200,000 Mac Diarmida (G2).
Favored at 5-2 in a field of 11, In Italian ($7.40) completed the distance in 1:35.16 over a firm turf course. It was the second stakes win of the day for Brant, trainer Chad Brown and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., who teamed up with Virginia Joy in the $150,000 The Very One (G3).
Breaking from Post 9, In Italian was intent on being in front and got the jump on her rivals, tracked by Quinoa Tifah on the rail, fellow long shot Navratilova in the clear in third and normally front-running Grade 2 winner Jouster settled in fourth.
In Italian turned for home in front as Navratilova ranged up on the outside and Jouster came through an opening along the rail. Ortiz kept In Italian busy and ahead of Navratilova, who was edged for second by the dramatic late rush from Wakanaka. Sugar Fix, sent off at 16-1, ran fourth, with Jouster fifth.
A 4-year-old daughter of Dubawi, In Italian entered the Honey Fox having put together two straight gate-to-wire victories. She broke her maiden last May at Belmont Park and didn’t race again until capturing an open allowance Jan. 12 at Tampa Bay Downs.
Mira Mission pulls off upset in Canadian Turf
Mary Abeel Sullivan Revocable Trust’s Mira Mission, making his stakes debut, kept his perfect record on the Gulfstream Park grass intact by outdueling French import Mouillage through the lane for a three-quarter-length victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Canadian Turf (G3).
The 56th running of the 1 1/16-mile Canadian Turf for 4-year-olds and up was the first of nine stakes, eight graded, worth $1.7 million on a blockbuster 13-race program headlined by the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) for 3-year-olds on the road to the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) April 2.
Mira Mission ($18.80) won twice during last winter’s Championship Meet for previous trainer Tom Bush and came into the Canadian Turf off a half-length optional claiming allowance triumph Jan. 15. He settled in sixth under jockey Julien Leparoux as 10-1 long shot Clear Vision, winner of the one-mile Tropical Turf (G3) Jan. 8, outran 1-5 favorite Never Surprised for the early lead.
Clear Vision went a quarter-mile in 23.76 seconds and a half in 47.54 pressed to his outside by Never Surprised, exiting a runner-up finish to defending champion Colonel Liam in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) Jan. 29. Noble Indy and Mouillage joined the chase midway around the turn as Mira Mission began to roll on the far outside, engaged Mouillage in mid-stretch and edged clear.
Mouillage, racing for the first time in the U.S., was a clear second, while Grade 3 winner English Bee outfinished Noble Indy for third. They were followed by Never Surprised, Clear Vision and Sigiloso.
Virginia Joy captures 1st U.S. stakes in The Very One
Virginia Joy posted her first U.S. stakes win Saturday in the $150,000 The Very One (G3) at Gulfstream Park when the 5-year-old German-bred mare rallied in the stretch for a one-length victory over Family Way.
Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. for owner Peter Brant and trainer Chad Brown, Virginia Joy settled comfortably in mid-pack in the 1 3/8-mile turf stakes before unleashing a stretch charge as the 4-5 favorite to overtake Family Way in the final yards.
Harajuku was third, a half-length behind Family Way.
Virginia Joy spent the early part of her career racing in Europe before moving to the U.S. She was unsuccessful in a pair of stakes tries in New York last summer. Saturday’s stakes win followed a seven-month layoff.