Prevalence 2-for-2 After Gulfstream Allowance Win

Godolphin, already armed with Essential Quality and Proxy on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, will likely have another colt joining them in major stakes for 3-year-olds: Prevalence.

The homebred son of Medaglia d'Oro , a runaway winner of his debut Jan. 23, improved to 2-for-2 in comfortably taking a first-level allowance optional claiming race by three lengths at Gulfstream Park March 11. He was allowed to settle early from his outside post in the one-turn mile race, turned up the heat on pacesetter Tio Magico following splits of :23.90 and :46.35, and after taking a short lead with three-quarters in 1:10.74, he drew away.

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione showed the colt his riding crop on his left side down the stretch, struck him shortly before the wire, and urged him on the gallop out—apparent preparation for longer races.

"It was probably not as flashy as his first race, but I think we're going to get a lot more out of this race today," Gaffalione said. "He was definitely more green. He was looking up at the grandstand down the lane. He kind of got lost by himself. I just had to remind him to keep to his task. He has a really bright future. I'm really looking forward to getting to the bottom of him."

The Brendan Walsh trainee was timed on a fast track in 1:35.82, paying $2.20 against an outclassed field.

"I thought it went as we thought it would. I thought he ran really well," Walsh told TVG. "I'm very pleased that we got to run in this race, you know, rather than throw him in the deep end after just one race, and I think it was important that he got to do this today, and I think it was a nice experience for the horse. So overall we're very pleased."

Southern Passage, whose only prior victory in seven earlier starts came in a maiden $50,000 claiming race, rallied for second, a length ahead of a retreating Tio Magico in third. The latter had been stakes-placed in Canadian-bred stakes company last year at Woodbine.

Prevalence's victory leaves him poised to next try one of the major Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) preps, most likely in April. Essential Quality and Proxy are already expected to represent Godolphin in the April 3 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland and in the March 20 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, respectively.

Walsh mentioned the April 3 Wood Memorial Presented by Resorts World Casino (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack or the April 10 Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park as potentially in the colt's plans. He said there was a "slight chance" of a start in the Blue Grass.

Video: Race 8 (AOC) at GP on 3/11/21

Prevalence has a high-class pedigree. He is out of the Ghostzapper  mare Enrichment—herself a full sister to multiple grade 1 winner Better Lucky out of the Seeking the Gold mare Sahara Gold, a daughter of 1995 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner Desert Stormer.

Prevalence is a half brother to two stakes winners, topped by Estihdaaf (Arch), winner of the U.A.E. Two Thousand Guineas Sponsored by Al Naboodah Ashok Leyland Partnership (G3) at Meydan in 2019. The other stakes winner for his dam is Libreta (Girolamo), who took the New York Stallion Stakes Park Avenue Division in 2016 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The mare has a 2-year-old colt by Quality Road  and a Frosted  colt born in 2020. She was bred to Uncle Mo  for 2021.