Outsider With Verve spices up Gulfstream's Hutcheson at 18-1

Eric Wirth’s With Verve rallied from last to pull off an 18-1 upset victory in the $100,000 Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park Saturday, providing Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado with his 7,054th visit to the winner’s circle.

The Hutcheson, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds, was the first of 10 stakes, including nine graded stakes, worth $1.95 million on Saturday’s 14-race program that was highlighted by the $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2), a key prep for the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) March 28.

Prado moved to within three victories of Angel Cordero, who sits eighth all time in races won, aboard the Larry Bates-trained With Verve, who was making his stakes debut after winning an optional claiming allowance for Florida-bred 3-year-olds in his most recent start.

With Verve settled in last along the backstretch as Smash Factor, pressed by Ournationonparade, set fractions of 23.14 and 46.66 for the first half-mile. Smash Factor continued to lead the way under Miguel Vasquez at the top of the stretch with Ournationonparade and Shivaree, the 4-5 favorite ridden by Emisael Jaramillo in hot pursuit. Leaving the turn into the homestretch, Prado sent With Verve around horses, and the son of Kantharos responded with a wide drive that would carry him to victory by a neck.

Shivaree finished second, a neck ahead of Ournationonparade, who was another half-length in front of Smash Factor.

With Verve ran six furlongs in 1:11.44 to collect his fourth victory in eight starts.

Winning trainer Larry Bates said after the race, “He’s a real nice horse. Mr. [Eric] Wirth…they’ve been very dedicated. They’ve been in the game some 50 years. They’ve had a lot of homebreds. This is the nicest we’ve had in a while. I couldn’t be happier for him.”

When asked if he had any instructions for Edgar Prado, Bates said, “What can you tell Edgar? I told Edgar what I’ve told him the last 35 years – have a nice day.”