Sleepy Eyes Todd wins Mr. Prospector, sets up Pegasus bid

Sleepy Eyes Todd rounded out a barnstorming 2020 campaign Saturday with a fourth stakes victory of the year. Now his trainer has a big target in mind to start 2021.

The 4-year-old Paddy O’Prado colt fought off Grade 1 winner Firenze Fire in the final yards to win Gulfstream Park’s Grade 3, $100,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes. He returned $12.20 at 5-1 odds under jockey Tyler Gaffalione.

Trainer Miguel Angel Silva was asked in the winner’s circle if Sleepy Eyes Todd – who won the Charles Town Classic Stakes (G2) on Aug. 28 at 1 1/8 miles – would tackle the same distance Jan. 23 in Gulfstream’s $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1).

“That’s the plan,” Silva said. “That’s what we’re here for.”

Gulfstream marked Sleepy Eyes Todd’s eighth track on which he’s raced this season. In addition to his Charles Town Classic win, the colt won Fonner Park’s Gus Fonner Stakes and Keeneland’s Lafayette Stakes while also racing at Fair Grounds, Lone Star, Sam Houston and Santa Anita.

Competing under the Thumbs Up Racing banner, Sleepy Eyes Todd had accumulated just shy of $500,000 this season before starting Saturday.

“(The colt’s ownership) let us bring the horse everywhere and just have fun with him,” Silva said. “He’s the best horse that we’ve ever had and hopefully we can have some more.”

For a final 2020 assignment, Sleepy Eyes Todd faced a salty field for the Grade 3 level. Among the Mr. Prospector’s field of 12, Diamond Oops, Firenze Fire and Mind Control are all multiple graded stakes winners, Haikal would have run in the 2019 Kentucky Derby if not for an injury and Lasting Legacy entered off a Breeders’ Cup Sprint appearance.

The early leader in the seven-furlong sprint was Brazilian-bred long shot Wind of Change, who went 22.07 and 44.35 through the opening panels. He was followed by Cool Arrow, with Sleepy Eyes Todd sitting third.

Coming off the turn, Sleepy Eyes Todd sat on the rail as part of a five-wide battle behind Wind of Change, who was trying to hang on. Gaffalione tilted his mount out a path to move past the tiring pace setter.

Sleepy Eyes Todd put a nose in front in the final furlong, but 5-2 favorite Firenze Fire also emerged from the pack to challenge him. Gaffalione went to a right-handed crop, and Sleepy Eyes Todd held on to score by a half-length.

“Everything set up perfectly," said Gaffalione, Sleepy Eyes Todd's ninth jockey over his last nine starts. "He broke well and put himself in the race. I was able to get a nice tracking spot inside. He gave me all the confidence going into the stretch and once he found a spot he accelerated and finished the job. All the credit goes to the trainer. He did a fabulous job getting him ready for today.

“To be honest, if you look at his form he’s run in all the big races across the country and he’s run at every track and he takes his form with him everywhere he goes, so you know he’s consistent and he shows up every time. We just had to work out a trip. I thought I’d be tracking Firenze Fire but I wound up a little bit in front of him which I didn’t mind, and got the jump on him.”

Firenze Fire, under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., just missed scoring the 13th victory of his career. Trainer Kelly Breen scratched the 5-year-old son of Poseidon's Warrior from the Cigar Mile (G1) on Dec. 5 at Aqueduct and re-routed to the Mr. Prospector.

“They went out there fast," Ortiz said. "I wish I was a little closer. I just kept riding, I followed Tyler, It looked like he had some horse on the turn and then I get (Firenze Fire) out. He cut the corner on me. He rode a great race.”

The winner covered seven furlongs in 1:21.67. Following Firenze Fire were third-place Mind Control and Wind of Change, who held for fourth.