Chance It Leaves Nothing to Chance in Taking In Reality
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Lauren King
Chance It draws off to win the In Reality division of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Sept. 28 at Gulfstream Park
After just missing in the Affirmed division of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association Florida Sire Stakes, Chance It returned to his winning ways Sept. 28 at Gulfstream Park when he closed out the series with a dominant victory in the In Reality division.
The 7 1/4-length score gave Shooting Star Thoroughbreds' Chance It two wins in the three-race series at Gulfstream for Florida Sire Stakes-registered 2-year-olds as the son of Currency Swap opened with a 3 1/4-length victory in the Dr. Fager division Aug. 3. He followed with a runner-up finish in the Affirmed division Aug. 31, finishing a head behind Liam's Lucky Charm, but he turned the tables on that rival Saturday.
Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Chance It appeared comfortable in his first try at two turns Saturday under Tyler Gaffalione. He tracked early leader Smash Factor, who was making his first stakes start off a maiden debut win, through a half-mile in :47.78. Just after six furlongs in 1:12.35, Gaffalione sent Chance It to the lead and he drew off through the stretch for the easy win, completing 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.26 on a fast track.
One week after Joseph saddled Math Wizard to a 31-1 upset in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1), he watched Chance It take care of business at 1-2.
"The other one was unexpected, but this was the important one," Joseph said. "We had unknown questions as far as if he could go the distance, which we thought he could. But, in racing, they have to do it first before you can become a believer. Today he answered all the questions."
Smash Factor held second, as the son of Khozan earned his first stakes placing, and Liam's Lucky Charm finished third.
"The horse broke good and put himself right where he needed to be and traveled well throughout the race. He had a ton of confidence going around the second turn, and I just let him out a little bit and he finished the job," Gaffalione said. "He got to looking around a little bit down the lane, but then he opened up so much on the field. He's still a young horse and just keeps improving—all the credit goes to Saffie and his team. They do a fabulous job. It has been a heck of a two weeks for him, so I'm incredibly happy and proud for him."
Connections Hit Bull's-Eye With Chance It
In the My Dear Girl division, Two Sixty enjoyed a clear lead at every point of call and drew off through the stretch to roll to a 6 1/4-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile test for juvenile fillies. The easy win marked the first stakes score for Gary Barber's Two Sixty, who bounced back from a run in the Susan's Girl where the daughter of Uncaptured ducked out and threw rider Edgard Zayas.
Two Sixty wins the My Dear Girl division of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes at Gulfstream Park
But Zayas was back on board Saturday, as Two Sixty opened a 1 1/2-length advantage through a quarter-mile in :23.72 and maintained that clear edge through a half-mile in :47.76, while Filly Jean King gave chase. Trained by Mark Casse, Two Sixty thrived in her first try at two turns, willingly driving through the stretch to complete the race in 1:44.41 on a fast track.
"We didn't really know what happened," Casse assistant Nick Tomlinson said of the filly's adventurous race in the middle leg of the series. "We just kind of took a step back, went back to the drawing board with her, and tried to figure out what was bothering her."
What they discovered was that Two Sixty didn't like to be near other horses. That's why Tomlinson's pre-race instructions to Zayas were to "just try to keep her in the clear."
Zayas did exactly that, sending Two Sixty to the front and remaining there throughout.
"It's a very gratifying win for us," Tomlinson said.
Filly Jean King held second, 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Susan's Girl winner Ceci Valentina. Three fillies scored wins in this year's three-race series. Lenzi's Lucky Lady won the Desert Vixen division in August, where Two Sixty finished third.
Two Sixty, who scored an easy win in her maiden debut in July at Gulfstream, was bred by Shade Tree Thoroughbreds. Barber went to $260,000—inspiring the name—for Two Sixty at this year's Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, where she was consigned by SGV Thoroughbreds. The filly initially sold for $72,000 at the 2018 OBS October Yearlings Sale, where she was purchased by SGV from the Summerfield consignment.