Provocateur Tops Gulfstream Park Stakes Action
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Ryan Thompson
Provocateur wins the Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Spendthrift Farm and My Racehorse's Provocateur produced a thoroughly professional and authoritative victory March 19 in the $100,000 Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park, providing Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher with his eighth success in the six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds.
The Hutcheson was one of three stakes on Saturday's program, along with the $100,000 Any Limit Stakes, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies, and the $100,000 Silks Run Stakes, a five-furlong dash for older horses on turf.
Provocateur ($7) broke cleanly from the starting gate to gain ideal stalking position behind a contested pace set by Golden Juan and 1-2 favorite Nitrous Channel along the backstretch and far turn. When Irad Ortiz Jr. asked the son of Into Mischief to join the pacesetters, the Kentucky-bred colt responded with a three-wide sweep to draw on even terms with Nitrous Channel at the top of the stretch. Nitrous Channel, an impressive debut winner last time out, fought back in the stretch under Tyler Gaffalione but was no match for the Pletcher trainee, who drew away to score by two lengths.
"I got a perfect trip. He broke good. Todd told me to stalk a little bit. I bided my time on the outside and when it was time to go, he responded well," said Ortiz, who rode four winners on Saturday's 12-race program.
Provocateur ran six furlongs in 1:09.60 after rating just off of fractions of :22.31 and :45.39.
"He's not really quirky. He does tend to want to drift a little bit and get out, so that's why we put a little more bit in his mouth, and Irad said he was perfect today," Pletcher said. "He broke really sharply and put him in a good spot and he was able to stalk the pace. It worked out perfectly."
After finishing off the board in his first two starts, one on turf and one on dirt, Provocateur broke through to graduate by 4 1/2 lengths in a six-furlong maiden special weight Dec. 23 at Tampa Bay Downs. He came back Jan. 15 to finish second in the seven-furlong Pasco Stakes at Tampa.
"We were a little confused about what he wanted to do early on. He wasn't training as promisingly as we had hoped. We thought he would improve a little bit on the grass," Pletcher said. "After that experience he seemed to improve in his dirt training and recently has really come around."
Runner-up Nitrous Channel finished 6 1/4 lengths clear of Golden Juan, who rounded out the trifecta.
Bred in Kentucky by Kingswood Farm and David Egan out of the winning Cherokee Run mare Cayala , Provocateur was a $600,000 purchase by Spendthrift and MyRacehorse from Kingswood Farm's consignment to the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Cayala is also the dam of 2017 Southwest Stakes (G3) winner One Liner, who was runner-up in the 2018 Pimlico Special Stakes (G3). Her five starters have all been winners. Her most recently reported foal is an unnamed 2-year-old filly by Flatter . She was bred to Authentic for 2022.
Video: Hutcheson S. (BT)
Spirit Wind Goes All the Way in Any Limit
Jacks or Better Farm's Spirit Wind ran a hole in the wind Saturday, scoring a frontrunning victory in the $100,000 Any Limit Stakes.
The homebred daughter of Bahamian Squall set fractions of :21.94 and :44.39 in the six-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies, distancing herself from five rivals before coasting to a 2 1/2-length victory in 1:11.43 under Tyler Gaffalione.
Tyler Gaffalione shares a moment with Spirit Wind after winning the Any Limit Stakes
"That's her. She's talented. She does things easy," trainer Ralph Nicks said. "Second time off the layoff, she was probably a little more keen than she normally would be, but at the end of the day she's just loaded with talent."
Spirit Wind debuted with a second-place finish at 4 1/2 furlongs last May and returned eight months later to graduate by 13 1/2 lengths at Gulfstream Feb. 18, running six furlongs in 1:09.19.
One Identity , undefeated in her two prior starts, rallied late to edge Strategic Bird for second by 1 1/4 lengths.
Spirit Wind ($4.40) will be given a little extra time before returning to action. The May 20 Miss Preakness Stakes (G3), a six-furlong event for 3-year-olds fillies, could be a future target. Bred in Florida out of the Awesome of Course mare Sacred Psalm , she improved her earnings to $102,060.
Video: Any Limit S. (BT)
Yes I Am Free Takes Silks Run
Golden Kernel Racing Stable's Yes I Am Free doubled up Saturday at Gulfstream, following a triumph in the Feb. 12 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint Stakes (G3T) with a narrow victory in the $100,000 Silks Run Stakes.
The son of Uncaptured broke sharply to chase Warrior's Pride , who set fractions of :21.15 and :43.92 in the five-furlong turf dash for older horses. Yes I Am Free then kicked past the tiring pacesetter at the top of the stretch and held off a late inside bid by Belgrano .
Yes I Am Free wins the Silks Run Stakes
The Laura Cazares-trained 6-year-old gelding ran five furlongs over a first turf course in :56.23 seconds under Emisael Jaramillo to prevail by a neck.
Claimed for $62,500 out of a victory in a five-furlong optional claiming allowance on turf at Gulfstream April 16, Yes I Am Free ($14.20) won his ninth career race and boosted his career earnings to $419,894.
"Laura and her staff have done a wonderful job with this horse. They take such good care of the horses. I think they take better care of their horses than some people take care of their kids," said John Szalay, an Ohio sweet corn farmer who owns Yes I Am Free with his wife, Joanne.
Arrest Me Red , the even-money favorite, rallied late to finish third, three-quarters of a length behind Belgrano.