Mshawish Gets the Edge in Gulfstream Turf Hcp

Stuck behind horses with the wire in sight, Al Shaqab Racing’s Mshawish found a narrow opening in deep stretch to split horses and outfinish Slumber for a thrilling nose victory in Saturday’s $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1).

The win was the third straight at the Championship Meet, second consecutive graded stakes and first Grade 1 for Mshawish, a Group 2 winner in Dubai last winter. It was also the second of three stakes wins on the afternoon for trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey Javier Castellano.

“He needs to be covered up and we were able to do that. When you have to cover one up in turf races, you have to roll the dice that you get a seam at some point,” Pletcher said. “He was lucky to find one when he did, and he finished like a good horse. It was a very determined effort. He’s a really nice horse.”

Favored at 7-5 in a field of nine older horses, Mshawish ($4.80) ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.22 on a firm turf course. Slumber finished second, a length ahead of War Correspondent. Manchurian High, Grand Tito, Amen Kitten, defending champion Lochte, Imagining and Golden Rifle completed a tightly bunched field that was separated by only three lengths.

“It was a tough trip all the way in the race. It was very tight from the beginning all the way to the end,” Castellano said. “I never had a place to go. I had to stay patient and go from there.”

After breaking from the rail, Castellano was able to settle Mshawish behind Golden Rifle as the 67-1 long shot dueled for the lead with Grand Tito through a quarter-mile in 24.47 seconds, a half in 48.33 and six furlongs in 1:12.10. Castellano got shuffled back to fifth at the head of the stretch as he waited for an opening from the quarter pole to the eighth pole while Slumber, making his first start for trainer Chad Brown, had a clear run from the outside.

“He ran great,” Brown said. “He did everything but win. The wide trip is probably the difference. He’s back on track. He ran terrific today. We made some adjustments with the horse and they worked. I’m proud of this horse.”

Once Mshawish found daylight, the 5-year-old son of Grade 1 winner Medaglia d’Oro responded to Castellano’s urging and held off Slumber as the two raced to the wire together.

“I got a little bit frustrated turning for home because I never saw any hole,” Castellano said. “Finally by the eighth pole I saw the hole. He went through a tiny hole and made a big effort today. I give all the credit to the horse because the way he did it today, it was a amazing. Not too many horses can do it the way he did it today.”

Mshawish became a millionaire with the victory, giving him six wins and $1,055,151 in purse earnings from 17 lifetime starts. He has won three of six starts since coming to North America last summer, including the Fort Lauderdale (G2) and El Prado Stakes at Gulfstream Park this winter.

Source: Gulfstream Park Communications