Imposing Grace Breaks Slump in Sand Dollar

Winless for nearly two years, Imposing Grace didn't seem to be much of a win threat as she trailed the field during the backstretch run of Sunday's $60,000 Sand Dollar Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The 6-year-old mare didn't even look she had much chance to breaking a seven-race losing streak in deep stretch.

Yet, benefiting from a rail-skimming ride by Manoel Cruz and a solid early pace set by Flutterby, Imposing Grace called on her back class to surge ahead of the pacesetter in the closing yards of the mile stakes for fillies and mares.

"She has a lot of back class. She won a Grade 3 at Arlington," trainer Lars Becdelamotte said. "She was away from the races a little bit and she's not an easy horse to train. But, she finally put everything together. I told the jock to stay on the rail and he did, and it all worked out."

Imposing Grace, who captured the Arlington Matron (G3) almost two years ago, trailed her six rivals early and was reserved off the solid pace set by Flutterby and jockey Luca Panici. As Flutterby showed the way into the stretch, closely pursued by favored Onna Bugeisha and Don'tcallmecharley to her outside, Imposing Grace cut the corner into the stretch in sixth place before launching a furious inside stretch drive, in which she left the rail briefly to pass a tiring foe. The Becdelamotte trainee kicked in with a late surge as Flutterby shortened strides and got up to win by a neck at 8-1. Flutterby held second, three-quarters of a length ahead of Onna Bugeisha.

Making her second start for Becdelamotte and her second start since last October, Coffeepot Stables' Imposing Grace ran the one-turn mile in 1:37.83.

"She trained really good up to this race," said Becdelamotte, former assistant to trainer Wayne Catalano, the former trainer of Imposing Grace. "She didn't run a really good race in a year and a half. She trained good, but you want to see them do it in the afternoon."

Wednesday's Rainbow 6 Carryover Jackpot Stands at $1,193,549
The 20-cent Rainbow 6 went unsolved for the 24th consecutive racing day at Gulfstream Park Sunday, resulting in a $1,193,549.01 carryover jackpot heading into Wednesday's program.

The Rainbow 6 jackpot was last hit on March 18, when a unique ticket returned $210,973.74.