Odds-On Fearless Soars Clear in Harlan's Holiday
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Fearless wins the Harlan's Holiday Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Repole Stable's Fearless galloped his Gulfstream Park record to 4-for-5 with a dominant score in the $150,000 Harlan's Holiday Stakes (G3) Dec. 18 at the Florida oval.
The 5-year-old Ghostzapper gelding won by four lengths over South Bend , with 2020 Canadian Horse of the Year Mighty Heart another 1 1/4 lengths back in third.
Purchased for $205,000 from ELiTE's consignment to the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale, Fearless won for Repole for the first time after starting his career with nine starts for WinStar Farm and China Horse Club and trainer Todd Pletcher. He remained in familiar hands with Pletcher and was entered off a runner-up finish by a length in a mile handicap Nov. 21 at Gulfstream.
Stretching back out to 1 1/16 miles under Luis Saez Saturday, the big bay shifted over from the outside post in a field of six and tracked third through the early going, setting his sights on Mighty Heart, who struck out for the lead from the inside through an opening quarter in :24.38 and a half in :47.76 under John Velazquez with longshot Blue Steel in closest pursuit.
Saez was reunited with Fearless after riding him to victory in his first start, a maiden special weight at Gulfstream that he won sprinting six furlongs. He sent his mount up to take control as three-quarters went in 1:11.48, and handled him with confidence from there to the finish as Fearless drew away through a 1:35.70 mile.
Fearless draws off to victory in the Harlan's Holiday
"I was pretty excited to be back with him; he's a horse that always tries," Saez said. "He's got pretty good speed. He's always right there. Today the distance was perfect for him… coming to the top of the stretch I had a lot of horse and he did it very impressive."
"We knew (Mighty Heart) and (Blue Steel) were the speed of the race, so we were looking to be in that position and everything worked out perfect," Saez said. "When we came to the three-eighths pole, he gave me a great response."
The final time on a fast track was 1:42.19.
The winner improved his earnings to $576,550. He has a 5-3-1 record from 11 starts and returned $3.20 on a $2 win ticket at odds of 3-5.
After 2-1 second choice Mighty Heart came Blue Steel, Twenty Twice , and Eye of a Jedi . The latter was pulled up entering the far turn and was vanned off.
The Harlan's Holiday was the second graded stakes victory for Fearless, who took the Feb. 27 WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes (G2) off an eight-month layoff.
EHALT: Fearless a Peerless Winner of Gulfstream Park Mile
Pletcher was not present at Gulfstream Saturday due to family obligations to reveal if Fearless' powerful performance made him a candidate for the Jan. 29 Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), for which the Harlan's Holiday is a typical prep.
"That's all up to Todd," said assistant trainer Anthony Sciametta. "The horse is moving forward. He's run two good races and come back good from his vacation. That's all we can ask for."
Bred in Kentucky by Helen K. Groves Revocable Trust out of the multiple graded stakes-placed Street Cry mare And Why Not, Fearless was purchased by WinStar's Maverick Racing arm and China Horse Club for $725,000 from Gainesway's consignment at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He was offered at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale, but failed to meet his reserve when the hammer fell at $120,000.
And Why Not is also the dam of the stakes-winning Pioneerof the Nile gelding Just Whistle , who took the 2020 Sunday Silence Stakes at Gulfstream and was runner-up in the Hal's Hope Stakes (G3) there last year as well. Her 3-year-old Ghostzapper filly Potion is still seeking her maiden win after eight starts, with her best finish a third. The mare has an unraced 2-year-old filly by Candy Ride named Marzipan, a Blame yearling filly named Yew Tree, and was barren this year. She was bred to Gun Runner for 2022.