Mom'z Laugh Enjoys Beautiful Trip in Sunshine Millions Distaff

A Blanco Holding’s Mom’z Laugh benefitted from a hotly contested pace and a ground-saving trip to notch her first stakes victory Saturday in the $200,000 Sunshine Millions Distaff at Gulfstream Park.

Ridden to perfection by defending four-time Championship Meet titlist Javier Castellano, the 4-year-old daughter of Leroidesanimaux held gamely in deep stretch to score by a head in the seven-furlong sprint for Florida-bred fillies and mares, one of six stakes in the $1.05 Sunshine Millions portion of Saturday’s 12-race program.

“She took a long time to mature,” said trainer Marcus Vitali after Mom’z Laugh’s sixth victory in 17 starts. “She had a lot of lumps, bumps, growing pains as a young horse. I’m not the guy to rush 2-year-olds.”

 

Winning Sarah broke sharply from her outside post position to quickly assumed pacesetting duties while racing inside along the backstretch, soon to receive an outside challenge by Flutterby and Dogwood Trail. Mom’z Laugh saved ground behind the three-horse battle along the backstretch before being taken to the outside of tiring Winning Sarah and Flutterby on the turn into the homestretch. Mom’z Laugh engaged Dogwood Trail heading into the stretch and went on to edge away to a narrow lead and hold off a tenacious bid by a closing You Bought Her.

“I had a beautiful trip. I used the speed in front of me and I took advantage. There was a lot of speed and I was right behind the horses. I set her down beautiful and after I made my move she hung in there and she gave me a good run. She was game,” Castellano said. “It looked like the other horse was going to go by but I hit her left-handed and she took off and gave me the last kick.”

Mom’z Laugh, the 5-1 fifth-choice choice in the field of 10, ran seven furlongs in 1:22.96.  You Bought Her, the 5-2 favorite, made a strong stretch bid under Brian Pedroza before settling for second, 5 ½ lengths ahead of Legal Laura and jockey Paco Lopez.

Castellano rode Mom’z Laugh for the first time in a Dec. 16 allowance race at Gulfstream, guiding her to a going-away victory by four lengths. She had to work much harder for her stakes score Saturday.