Junipermarshmallow, Ari Gold Give Pletcher Stakes Sweep

St. Elias Stable's homebred Junipermarshmallow  rallied from off the pace to capture the $75,000 Wait a While Stakes, giving Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher a sweep of Saturday's stakes for juveniles on Gulfstream Park's new turf course.

The daughter of Quality Road   followed Pletcher-trained Ari Gold  into the Gulfstream Park winner's circle after taking the 7 1/2-furlong stakes for juvenile fillies carded as race 8. Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Ari Gold scored a front-running win in the $75,000 Pulpit, a 7 1/2-furlong turf stakes for 2-year-olds programmed as race 4.

"I always love winning the Wait a While, since we (trained) her. She was a great horse for us. That was kind of cool," said the Hall of Fame conditioner.

Junipermarshmallow, who was coming off a debut victory at Keeneland, steadily advanced into the turn for home before Irad Ortiz Jr. asked the homebred filly for her run, and she responded with a strong outside drive to prevail by a length over Malleymoo . Stephanie's Charm  ran third, ahead of fourth-place Personal Pursuit, and favored Delight  in fifth.

Junipermarshmallow ($12) was timed on firm turf in 1:28.83.

"It looked like when Irad asked her into the far turn, she accelerated nicely, very similar to what she did in her debut," Pletcher said, referencing a score at Keeneland this fall at 1 1/16 miles on turf.

"She's been a very straightforward filly to get train and get ready. We always thought on the strength of her pedigree she's going to be a turf filly and kind of focused on that for her debut," the trainer added. "Even though I don't think it was a big-figure maiden, I thought it was a visually impressive debut. That's why we decided to go ahead and take a chance and go into a stake for her second start."

Junipermarshmallow will be pointed to Gulfstream Park's series for 3-year-old fillies on turf during the upcoming Championship Meet -- the Jan. 7 Ginger Brew Stakes (G3T), Feb. 4 Sweetest Chant (G3T), and the March 4 Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3T).

"It's a good program. There's a stake every month, so you can run in the next one, or if you decide you need a little time, there's one around the corner," Pletcher said.

Bred in Kentucky, Junipermarshmallow is out of the unplaced Danehill Dancer  mare Elitiste . Junipermarshmallow was retained by her owner after she went unsold when bidding stopped at $210,000 from the Lane's End consignment at the 2021 September Yearling Sale at Keeneland. 

Four of the dam's seven foals have raced, three of them winners. The dam's youngest foals are a yearling Curlin   filly and an Uncle Mo   colt born this year.

Video: Wait a While S. (BT)

Frontrunning Ari Gold Lands Pulpit

Ari Gold, making his fourth career start and first in a stakes race, jumped out to an early lead and turned back Lights of Broadway  through the stretch to win the $75,000 Pulpit Stakes earlier on the card.

The 7 1/2-furlong Pulpit for 2-year-olds was the first stakes held on Gulfstream's new turf course.

Ridden by Luis Saez for Pletcher, Ari Gold ($3.80) covered the distance in 1:27.10 over a firm course to register his second straight frontrunning victory, both since the addition of blinkers. He broke his maiden in his prior start going 1 1/16 miles Nov. 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

"I just felt like he was a little bit green his first couple starts, just not completely focused," Pletcher said. "We just felt like (the blinkers) might be the ticket to getting him locked in a little more."

Drawing post 4 as the 4-5 favorite in a field of eight, including stablemate Sendero , winner of the Sept. 7 Jamestown Stakes at Colonial Downs, Ari Gold broke sharply and was quickly in front. Ari Gold, named for the fictional character on popular TV series 'Entourage,' continued to roll up front as the field straightened for home, extending his lead to 2 1/2 lengths under the wire.

Lights of Broadway  ran on for second after making a mild bid around the far turn, with Laurel Futurity winner Congruent  rallying for third.

"The game plan was to come out running and make a comfortable lead like we did last time. That was Plan A," Pletcher said. "We gave Luis the option of calling an audible, if needed, but Plan A seemed to work out well.

"I think the blinkers and kind of a change in tactics a little bit has made a difference," he added. "He's a colt with, I think, a lot of room to continue to improve, and we're proud of him for what he's done so far."

Purchased by Eclipse for $220,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from the Claiborne Farm consignment, the son of Medaglia d'Oro   is out of the Distorted Humor  mare Satirical , making him a half brother to 2020 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) runner-up Petruchio (Into Mischief  ).

Pletcher indicated that the $175,000 Kitten's Joy Stakes (G3T) Feb. 4 for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles is a possible next target.

Video: Pulpit S. (BT)