Just One Time Rallies to Inside Information Score
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Ryan Thompson
Just One Time takes the Inside Information Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Just One Time overcame early challenges and used a strong stretch run to capture the $200,000 Inside Information Stakes (G2) on the Jan. 29 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Series program at Gulfstream Park.
The 4-year-old chestnut filly, racing for the first time for breeder Donald Brown Jr.'s Warriors Reward LLC and new partner Todd Mostoller's Commonwealth New Era Racing, prevailed by three-quarters of a length and posted a winning time of 1:23.81 for 7 furlongs on a fast main track.
It was the filly's third stakes victory and first in open company.
Favored at odds of 3-2 in a field of 10, the daughter of Not This Time was fractious in the gate. She then broke slowly and was sixth at the half-mile marker before advancing four- and five-wide around the turn.
That's when Just One Time's fortunes changed in the race for older fillies and mares.
"I felt good turning for home," jockey Joel Rosario said. "She was the best in the race and she showed it."
Just One Time closed strong down the center of the track and took the lead near the sixteenth pole before being driven home by Rosario.
Whisper Hill Farm's Dance d'Oro had set the early pace under Emisael Jaramillo by clocking :22.45 after a quarter-mile.
Jakarta , ridden by Irad Ortiz. Jr. grabbed the lead with a fraction of :45.77 at the half-mile. The 7-year-old mare led into the stretch before Just One Time made her move.
Witham Thoroughbreds' 5-year-old Four Graces , under Julien Leparoux, finished three-quarters of a length back in second, with Three Diamonds Farm's Jakarta third by 2 1/2 lengths.
Just One Time improved to five wins in six starts in winning for the third straight time. It was her first start since taking the New Start Stakes Oct. 22 in fast time at Penn National Race Course.
Trainer Brad Cox said he was surprised his filly fell so far back in the early stages.
"I think that had a little bit to do with the time in between races, and being a little fractious in the gate, obviously that didn't help," Cox said. "She's been great in the mornings. She obviously wasn't great today. We'll continue to work with her. There's a lot of talent there, no doubt about it."
Mostoller credited Rosario for the winning ride on a sunny but windy South Florida afternoon with temperatures uncharacteristically in the upper 50s.
"It's a big day, a lot of nervous energy," Mostoller said. "She acted up a little bit, but Joel did a helluva job just sitting chilly.
"I thought she'd show a little bit more speed than she did, but boy, she kept the dirt, she got an education. It wasn't the best trip but she got the job done. The good ones do."
Mostoller, executive director of the Pennsylvania Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, bought into ownership of Just One Time in a private transaction after she won four of five starts in her native Pennsylvania.
She is the second black-type winner produced from the Speightstown mare Ida Clark . The dam has four winners from seven foals, five of which have raced. She also has a 2-year-old colt by Goldencents and a yearling filly by Runhappy .
"She was in a state-bred program, mostly in Pennsylvania," Cox said. "Once you come out of that environment, the water is going to get deeper on our circuit. And bottom line, she was able to swim on this circuit."