Tequilita's Rampart victory could send her out on 'winning note'

Dorothy Alexander Matz’s homebred Tequilita, winner of the 2017 Forward Gal (G2), drove past the pacesetter Tapa Tapa Tapa inside the final eighth to win Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Rampart Stakes by 2 ½ lengths over favored Electric Forest at Gulfstream Park.

Tequilita, trained by Michael Matz and ridden by Luis Saez, covered the mile in 1:37.62. The 4-year-old daughter of Union Rags has won five of 19 starts.

“She broke so sharp, she was in such a good spot I just wanted to protect it," Saez said. "I thought at the three eighths pole I was done, but I kept asking her and she gave me the kick, she just took off down the stretch. I know she likes the track this way, as she’s won easily on this surface before.”

Matz said Tequilita will be bred this spring to Street Sense.

"If it is her last race," he added, "then she went out on a winning note.”

Breaking cleanly away from the gate in the seven-horse field, Tequilita raced outside Tapa Tapa Tapa, who set fractions of :23.26, :45.85 and 1:11.25. Entering the stretch, Saez urged Tequilita past Tapa Tapa Tapa and had more than enough to hold off Electric Forest. 

Tequilita returned $7.60.