Castellano Guides Vitalogy to Victory in Palm Beach
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Vitalogy wins the Palm Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Drawing post 11 in a 1 1/16-mile turf race at Gulfstream Park is an aggravating experience, but having a rider like Javier Castellano can be the perfect antidote.
The 42-year-old rider turned in yet another Hall of Fame performance Feb. 29 in guiding Qatar Racing Limited, Marc Detampel, and Bottle Rocket Stable's Vitalogy to a length victory in the $150,000 Palm Beach Stakes (G3T) for 3-year-olds.
"Javier is a master at that," trainer Brendan Walsh said. "He said the horse took him there today. He had him in a good spot all the way around."
After Vitalogy broke sharply, Castellano was able to masterfully guide him over toward the inside, and the son of No Nay Never was third in the two path by the time the field hit the first turn.
From there, Castellano let 209-1 shot Allgorilla run off to a clear lead on the backstretch before calling on Vitalogy on the final turn and forging to the lead approaching the quarter pole.
Vitalogy fended off a bid from Famished at the top of the stretch, and the 2-1 favorite had enough left to hold off late charges from Tiesto and South Bend to notch his first graded stakes win. The winner paid $6 on a $2 wager.
"I let him come out of the gate in good position and enjoy the ride," Castellano said.
It was Vitalogy's first start since Oct. 6 when he and Castellano broke from post 14 in the Dixiana Bourbon Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland and rallied from last to finish second, a neck behind Peace Achieved.
Between those two starts, Vitalogy shipped to Santa Anita Park for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Presented by Coolmore America (G1T) but was scratched the day of the race by veterinarians due to a foot issue.
"I'm delighted (about Saturday's win)," Walsh said. "Last year was very tough with this horse, especially at the Breeders' Cup. Hats off to the owners. They took it on the chin and moved on. That's in the past now, and we move on and hopefully we can have a good year. He certainly proved today that he's as good as he was last year, and we're excited about him. It's something to look forward to."
The win was the second in five starts for Vitalogy, who started his career in Europe and was third in the Summer Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine in his first North American start.
Bred in Great Britain by W. A. Tinkler, he is the only stakes-placed runner from four foals to race out of the Arch mare Sylvestris.
LNJ Foxwoods and NK Racing's Tiesto, a son of Tiznow trained by Bill Mott, was second by a half-length over Sagamore Farm's South Bend.
A son of Algorithms , South Bend was 10th after the opening half-mile and rallied to edge Mike Borchetta, Martha Borchetta, Scott Borchetta, and Martin Silver's Sassy But Smart for third by a neck.
The final time was 1:41.86 on firm turf.
Cheermeister Lands Herecomesthebride
Brides have been known to be fashionably late for their nuptials, but the speedy Cheermeister was extremely punctual in the $150,000 Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3T) for 3-year-old fillies.
Breaking quickly and never looking back, the daughter of Bodemeister cruised to a three-quarter-length gate-to-wire victory under jockey Emisael Jaramillo in the 1 1/16-mile test that was one of nine graded stakes on the card at Gulfstream Park.
Cheermeister wins the Herecomesthebride Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Owned by David and Teresa Palmer and trained by Armando De La Cerda, Cheermeister recorded her fourth victory in five starts and second consecutive grade 3 win on turf. She was a frontrunning winner in the Feb. 1 Sweetest Chant Stakes (G3T) at one mile in her previous start, and her lone blemish was a 10th in the Ginger Brew Stakes when she broke through the gate at the start and never fired.
"I love this filly. I think she's a nice, nice filly," De La Cerda said. "I'm always thinking that she's going to be better when she's 4 or 5 because she's very temperamental and very high-strung. That's why she broke bad from the gate two races ago. I've been working her in the gate to get her better."
Bred in Kentucky by Mike Abraham out of the Ghostzapper mare Kuhlu, Cheermeister is the first graded stakes winner for her dam from four foals to race. Sold to Nick Palmer, agent, for $20,000 in 2018 from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment at The October Sale, Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky fall yearling sale, she was a $195,000 RNA at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.
Sent off at 9-1 odds, Cheermeister was timed in 1:41.32 and paid $20.60 on a $2 win wager. She has earned $216,620.
Apogee Bloodstock's Abscond pressed the pace through fractions of :23.46, :47.27, and 1:11.46, but the 5-2 favorite could not collar the frontrunner in the stretch. Trained by Eddie Kenneally, the daughter of Blame was a grade 1 winner at 2 yet is winless in two 2020 starts.
Gary Barber's Declarationwarrior, a daughter of Declaration of War trained by Mark Casse, was a length back in third, a head in front of stablemate Lucky Polly.
Video: Palm Beach S. (G3T)