Xaverian gets perfectly timed ride in Raymond Earl

Things didn’t go as planned on Memorial Day weekend for Xaverian when he finished third by a Saturday under a perfectly timed ride from jockey Cornelio Velasquez to secure the $75,000 Raymond Earl Stakes. 

 

“That wasn’t the original plan, but he came out of that race so well and there aren’t that many spots for a horse like that, so I figured we’d enter him and see what the field looks like,” winning trainer Charles Simon said. “Obviously, we made the right choice.” 

 

Xaverian ($7.20) settled at the back of the compact field in the early stages while Little Baltar set a measured pace of :23.99 and :47.31. The 5-year-old son of Sky Mesa waited patiently for a seam to open turning for home and went through willingly for his first victory in 23 months. Owned by Garnet Stable, Xaverian covered the one-mile distance in 1:33.67.

 

“He broke good and I wanted to save ground all the way,” Velasquez said. “I had a little trouble when the horse inside came out, but I had a lot of horse. The last part of the race, I had a lot of horse.”

 

Favored Hammers Terror, shipping in from Kentucky, was a half-length behind the winner in second and My Point Exactly was the same margin away third in his first appearance for trainer Stanley Gold.

 

Xaverian had shown good form in marathon events, finishing second in the two-mile $100,000 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes on January 23 and a good sixth in the $200,000 Pan American Stakes (G2) on April 2. His rallying style in last week’s Gleaming over 12 furlongs was compromised by a very slow pace, and Simon opted to shorten his charge up to a mile.

 

"I think being bunched up helped him in that he was only a length or two behind these horses,” Simon said. “I was a little concerned that he would get too far behind coming out of the mile-and-a-half race, but I think it played to his advantage. He’s hung on a couple of occasions—it looked like he was going to go by, but didn’t—so I think being bottled up actually helped him. He didn’t have that much of a chance to hang and that played into our favor. Cornelio rode him great. He’s a good rider and I’m happy that he’s relocated down here. He’s a pro and gives his best every time.”

 

The Raymond Earl was Xaverian’s third in 20 career starts and took his earnings up to $140,844.

 

 

Marco Thoroughbred Corp’s favored Successful Native ($4.80) took the shortest way around in the $75,000 Bonita Stakes and edged Daring Kathy for his second straight success at Gulfstream Park. Drawn on the inside, the 5-year-old was rated off the pace by rider Matthew Rispoli as Do the Roar and Doctor J Dub dueled for the lead. Daring Kathy went wide to deliver her challenge in the stretch, while Rispoli waited until the inside opened up to ask Successful Native for his best. The son of Successful Appeal rallied strongly and hit the wire 1 1/2 lengths in front of Daring Kathy. The time for the five-furlong Bonita was :55.04. Do the Roar rounded out the trifecta.

 

“Usually when you have the one hole, it’s really tough to get outside, so you just stay on the rail and hope it opens,” Rispoli offered. “That’s all you can really do. There wasn’t a whole lot of speed in the race, but there were a few horses that broke good and they went on, so I just sat behind them and relaxed my horse a little bit. When it came time to run, he started running. The rail opened and it was a blessing.”

 

Trained by Aubrey Maragh, Successful Native captured the Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint Stakes at Gulfstream last July before finishing third in the Bonita Stakes in August. He was paired with Rispoli for the first time in an optional claimer over this course and distance on March 27 and wound up winning despite having broken through the gate in the preliminaries. Successful Native, bred in Kentucky by Fares Farm, has now won six of 15 career starts and has earned $220,700.

 

 

Calumet Farm’s Susie Bee ($5.20) went postward as the bettors’ choice in the $75,000 Amelia Island Stakes and overcame early trouble and a wide trip to live up to that billing. Jockey Emisael Jaramillo kept his cool as his mount was forced to check in tight quarters on the first turn, and the 4-year-old filly eventually resumed her rhythm. Longshot First Illusion showed the way up front while tracked by Pink Poppy through a :46.49 split for the opening half-mile. Jaramillo opted to avoid trouble on Susie Bee and took the overland route while five wide on the far turn. There was still plenty of ground for the duo to make up in the homestretch, but Susie Bee showed her determination with a rally up the center of the course and hit the wire a half-length in front of fellow closer Kiss to Remember. Pink Poppy stayed on to claim third.

 

Evelio Chavez, assistant to trainer Mike Maker, was confident about Susie Bee’s chances.

 

“I didn’t get worried, because I know she likes this track,” Chavez said. “That’s what I told Mike—she likes this track and she can win this race. Last time she ran really good and I thought, ‘Today could be the day.’ I hope they’re going to keep her here for a few more races, I want to keep her here. She’s a really nice filly and it’s very easy to work with her.”

 

Susie Bee stopped the clock in 1:33.37 for the one-mile Amelia Island.

 

A homebred daughter of Calumet stallion English Channel and the Storm Cat mare Susie Cat, Susie Bee captured the Cellars Shiraz Stakes at Gulfstream Park West on Halloween. She hit the road earlier this year, finishing fifth in the Jersey Lily Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park on February 27 and fourth in the New Orleans Ladies Overnight Stakes at Fair Grounds on March 26. The gray filly returned to Gulfstream to finish a game third in the Powder Break Stakes on April 30 in her most recent start.