Instilled Regard Rewards Patience in Ft. Lauderdale
Image:
Description:
Photo: Coglianese Photos/Ryan Thompson
Instilled Regard wins the Ft. Lauderdale Stakes at Gulfstream Park
If there's one thing Instilled Regard has required from owner Larry Best, it's patience.
A $1.05 million purchase by Best's OXO Equine at auction, the 4-year-old Arch colt flashed talent early when he ran second in the 2017 Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity (G1) at the end of his 2-year-old season and won the 2018 Lecomte Stakes (G3) in his first race as a 3-year-old.
After fourth-place efforts in the Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2) and the Santa Anita Derby (G1), Instilled Regard outran his 85-1 odds when he finished fourth yet again—this time in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) behind eventual Triple Crown winner Justify , Good Magic , and Audible .
Still, there were setbacks like a disappointing ninth in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) after time on the sideline and multiple other breaks between races as Instilled Regard looked to snap a losing streak that kept on building.
Through it all, Best never lost faith, and that faith was rewarded Dec. 14 with a victory in the $200,000 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream Park.
"He needed some time to mature a little bit," the owner said. "We knew he'd be better as a 3- and 4-year-old."
Also better on a grassy surface, where he has never been worse than third, Instilled Regard returned to winning ways for the first time since the Lecomte and put an eight-race skid in the rearview mirror.
"This is the same horse that showed up for me on Kentucky Derby Day," Best said. "I knew I had a better horse than (an 85-1 shot) that day, and we ended up beating a lot of great horses."
(L-R): Edgar Prado presents the Ft. Lauderdale trophy to Irad Ortiz Jr. and Larry Best
With Irad Ortiz Jr. in the irons for trainer Chad Brown, Instilled Regard settled third along the rail in a nine-horse field as Cross Border went the opening quarter of the 1 1/8-mile test in :24.63. The frontrunner was pressed outside by Mike Maker-trained stablemate, grade 3 winner Marzo, while Up the Ante joined the top group four wide for a :49.22 half.
Instilled Regard was still waiting behind horses midway on the turn after a six-furlong split of 1:12.60 but had plenty of room between Marzo and Up the Ante once the field turned for home. Set down for the drive, he sprinted gamely for the wire and was able to hold off late bids from Admission Office, who finished half a length behind in second, and 2-1 favorite Channel Cat, who wound up a neck back in third. The final time was 1:47.18 on a turf course rated firm.
"I got a perfect trip," Ortiz said. "My horse broke sharp, and I used him a little bit to be close. I didn't want to be too far, and he put me in the right position. I was just waiting for the hole, and finally at the end turning for home I got through, and you could see how (he took off)."
Sent off at odds of 3-1, Instilled Regard returned $8.60 on a $2 win ticket. He improved his earnings to $589,240 with a 3-3-3 record from 14 starts. The Ft. Lauderdale marked his first victory in four grass attempts to go with one second and two thirds.
Instilled Regard was beaten less than a length in his previous start Nov. 9, a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claimer on the lawn at Aqueduct Racetrack, his first race following a distant sixth in the May 3 Alysheba Stakes Presented by Sentient Jet (G2) on dirt at Churchill Downs. He was trained early in his career by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer and was moved to Brown after the Kentucky Derby.
The Ft. Lauderdale is a prep for the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) Jan. 25 at Gulfstream.
"He's fresh off the layoff, and this is the kind of race we needed to think about to go on to bigger things," Best said. "This is a real horse."
Bred in Kentucky by KatieRich Farms, which also bred Saturday's Rampart Stakes (G3) winner Pink Sands, Instilled Regard is out of the winning Forestry mare Enhancing. The mare's American Pharoah 2-year-old, Grandexaltedruler, is unraced and was a $100,000 yearling purchase by Sholom Jacobs from KatieRich's consignment to The October Sale, Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky fall sale of yearlings, in 2018. Enhancing produced a Medaglia d'Oro filly Feb. 15 and was bred to Quality Road for 2020.
Instilled Regard was consigned by Tom McCrocklin when he lit up the ring at the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. He failed to meet his $110,000 reserve at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
"He's got a great pedigree. His grandmother is Heavenly Prize," Best said. "We finally got the conditioning up, and I got the right man to ride the horse. Over and above that, we had a lot of good luck."