My Prankster Rallies to Swale Score

Robert and Lawana Low's My Prankster  lived up to his even-money odds Feb. 5 to defeat Dean Delivers  the $100,000 Claiborne Farm Swale Stakes (G3) with a determined rally at Gulfstream Park.

The 3-year-old Into Mischief   colt raced near the back of the field of six sophomores early under Luis Saez, but closed on the turn and into the stretch to take over in the seven-furlong event. He returned $4 on a $2 win ticket.

Trainer Todd Pletcher said My Prankster may not be a likely Road to the Kentucky Derby candidate, although he's keeping his options open.

 "We'll play it by ear," Pletcher said of future plans for the colt. "He gives me the impression that he's a one-turn horse, but we won't rule anything out yet."

After angling over from post 1 to an outside tracking position, My Prankster was fifth off the pace set by second choice In Dreams , who was chased by Dean Delivers and Mr. Bouma  through a quarter in :22.36 and a half in :44.87. Set down for a sustained rally past rivals heading into the far turn, My Prankster circled four wide and drew on even terms with Dean Delivers, who made a bid to take over as the frontrunner faded through three-quarters in 1:09.80.

"We were concerned about the '1' draw. It cost him a little position early and you could see when he was getting dirt in his face, he wasn't liking it. He was climbing the first eighth of a mile," Pletcher said. "Luis was able to get him out in the clear. The key part of the race, in the middle of the turn, he put in a big run to catch up."

"He got a good break today," Saez said. "We knew they had a lot of speed in the race so the plan was to get him in the clear and go from there... he always tries, he tried pretty hard today and he got the job done so it was a good race for him."

Dean Delivers dug deep but My Prankster had the momentum and carried on to win with a final time of 1:23.13 on a fast track. Of a Revolution , 2 1/2 lengths behind the runner-up, completed the trifecta.

"Luis said he got there a little sooner than he wanted and he idled a little when he made the lead, but it was another professional effort. He's a nice horse," Pletcher said.

The win marked the first stakes score for My Prankster, who was fourth in the 2021 Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park and second in the Bowman Mill Stakes last year at Keeneland. Pletcher sent the colt to his season debut Saturday off a confidence-boosting allowance optional claiming score going six furlongs Dec. 10 at Gulfstream.

Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, My Prankster is out of the Flower Alley  mare My Wandy's Girl , a grade 2 winner in the mainland United States and a multiple grade 1 winner in Puerto Rico, where she was named champion imported 3-year-old filly in Puerto Rico in 2012. My Prankster is the first graded stakes winner for his dam, whose two starters have both been winners. The mare has a 2-year-old Curlin   colt named Nielson and aborted in 2021. She was bred to Tapit   for 2022.

My Prankster was a $600,000 purchase by his connections from Summerfield's consignment to the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase. He improved his record to three wins and a second from five starts, with earnings of $208,780.

Video: Claiborne Farm Swale S. (G3)