Mr Freeze Impresses in Gulfstream Park Mile

Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's Mr Freeze backed up his form in the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes (G2) Feb. 29 at Gulfstream Park following a runner-up finish in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) a month earlier.

The 5-year-old son of To Honor and Serve has turned in six consecutive in-the-money finishes dating to August, including a win in the Ack Ack Stakes (G3) and a third-place run in the Clark Stakes Presented by Norton Healthcare (G1) at Churchill Downs.

"This might be a breakthrough race for him," trainer Dale Romans said. "I always thought there was more there."

The strong record Mr Freeze has strung together has Romans looking at a run on Dubai World Cup Night March 28 at Meydan.

"This horse is a really talented horse. He had a little hiccup last year, and he got over it. He's been invited to the Godolphin Mile (G2), so if he comes out of this well, that's where we'll head," Romans said. "Milers are great to have."

Mr Freeze, the 5-2 favorite, broke from post 9 of 11 under Manny Franco and sat in third close to the pace through the first half-mile. Bodexpress led the way early and set fractions of :23.27 and :45.32 while Rare Form raced second. Mr Freeze was only half a length behind Bodexpress at the halfway point and took over to lead by a length at the quarter pole as he ran six furlongs in 1:09.95. 

The margin continued to widen, and Mr Freeze crossed the wire three lengths the best. The final time was 1:34.80 on a track rated fast.

"That was big. It's the first time I've seen him turn the corner and just kick on and draw off from them," Romans said. "I think he needed that for his confidence, probably. I think the Pegasus boosted his confidence a lot."

"I just followed the instructions," Franco said. "(Dale) told me to keep the horse close to the pace, and when I saw those two horses going, I just decided to settle and sit third. He was taking me the whole way, so I was waiting for the right moment to make my move, and he responded."

Phat Man, who won the Fred W. Hooper Stakes (G3) on the Pegasus World Cup undercard, rallied from eighth to finish second, five lengths ahead of grade 1 winner Hog Creek Hustle in third. True Timber was a neck back in fourth.

Bred in Kentucky by Siena Farms out of the Tabasco Cat mare Heavenly Cat, Mr Freeze is a half brother to grade 3 winners Heavenly Ransom and Dilemma and multiple stakes winner Capitano. Romans, as agent, purchased the chestnut for $75,000 from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Mr Freeze boasts a 5-4-1 record in 12 starts with earnings of $1,367,950.

Sombeyay Earns Grass Score in Canadian Turf

After two narrow losses on the grass, Starlight Racing's Sombeyay got the job done in the $150,000 Canadian Turf Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park.

The 4-year-old Into Mischief  colt, who won the 2018 Sanford Stakes (G3) on dirt at Saratoga Race Course, was second in his past two outings. He closed his sophomore season with a head loss in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2T) at the Spa and returned Jan. 26 at Gulfstream to miss by three-quarters of a length in a 7 1/2-furlong allowance optional claiming event.

"The last one was a good comeback race that we felt like it was good enough to come back in a stake, and we've been targeting this race since then," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "He ran pretty well on the dirt (earlier in his career). But he's always been a horse that trained just OK on the dirt. He actually ran a little better than he was training. But the Into Mischiefs seem so versatile, we worked him one day on the turf, and we were like, 'Wow, he moved forward.' And it seems like he's improved a bit as a 4-year-old."

Sombeyay went off as the 7-2 favorite in the field of 12, breaking from post 5 under Flavien Prat. His stablemate Gidu spurted to a 7 1/2-length lead and set swift fractions of :21.93 and :44.26 through the first half-mile. Sombeyay, who was fourth a quarter-mile in, was up into second, 4 1/2 lengths behind Gidu, as three-quarters went it 1:08.27, and Gidu's advantage continued to shrink as the field closed in. 

Sombeyay passed his stablemate and pulled ahead by two lengths in the stretch but then had to fend off a group of late runners. English Bee closed from eighth but had to settle for second, half a length behind Sombeyay. A neck back, Hay Dakota and Louder Than Bombs finished in a dead heat for third. Gidu held for fifth, another half-length back.

The final time for the mile was 1:32.44 on a firm course.

"I had a good trip. He broke well and put me in the race. From there, he got the job done," Prat said. "Once I got to the lead, he kind of looked around a little bit, but I had more horse if I needed it."

Sombeyay was bred in Kentucky by J. D. Stuart and Mueller Farms out of the Limehouse mare Teroda, who placed in stakes company on both the main and turf courses at Santa Anita Park. He was consigned by Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services as a weanling at the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, where Taylor Made Sales Agency was the buying agent and secured him for $125,000. Starlight then purchased the colt through its bloodstock agent Frank Brothers for $230,000 from Taylor Made's consignment to the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

From 11 starts, Sombeyay has compiled three wins, four seconds, and earnings of $342,990.

Video: Gulfstream Park Mile S. (G2)

Video: Canadian Turf S. (G3T)