Maryquitecontrary Continues Roll in Inside Information

When 3-5 favorite Obligatory  faltered in the $200,000 Inside Information Stakes (G2) Jan. 28 at Gulfstream Park, local rising star Maryquitecontrary  rose to the occasion, inhaling her rivals down the lane for her first graded stakes victory.

In the days leading up to the Pegasus, Maryquitecontrary’s steady pilot, Luca Panici, expressed confidence in the Florida-bred filly’s ability to compete at a grander stage. She rode a four-race win streak into the Inside Information.

“The race is tough, but at this point you have to go ahead against the best,” Panici said of Maryquitecontrary. “We belong there.”

Although Maryquitecontrary was lining up against a familiar foe in St. Elias Stable’s Colorful Mischief , who she defeated by a widening 3 1/2 lengths in the Dec. 31 Rampart Stakes, the seven-furlong Inside Information marked the 5-year-old debut for Juddmonte’s grade 1-winning millionaire Obligatory, by far the stiffest competitor she had faced thus far in her fledgling career.

Strides after the break, it seemed Obligatory was in trouble. Despite hasty urging from jockey Jose Ortiz, the Bill Mott trainee struggled to keep pace with the rest of the field, the last of 10 after a half-mile.

Maryquitecontrary, meanwhile, was tucked into a midpack position, racing several lengths behind a :22.41 opening quarter and :45.38 half-mile. As the field swept into the final bend and darted through the stretch, 16-1 longshot Fire On Time  was running the race of her life on the front end, kicking clear to a two-length advantage with an eighth of a mile remaining. But Maryquitecontrary was on the move.

“When she started rolling by the three-eighths pole, I said ‘OK,’ and just let her roll,” Panici said of Maryquitecontrary’s five-wide blitz that brought her from seventh on the turn into third by midstretch.

Maryquitecontrary swept by Fire On Time inside the final sixteenth and finished in hand, 2 1/2 lengths the best, clocking a final time of 1:23.64 on a fast main track.

"When I got to the clear she started to kick, and she kicked until the end," Luca said. "She’s improving race after race, and today she showed what she can do."

Colorful Mischief rallied up the rail late to secure runner-up honors over the hard-trying Fire On Time.

A 4-year-old daughter of First Dude  , Maryquitecontrary ($7.20) sports a nearly flawless record at the Gulfstream oval, victorious in all but one of her seven career starts. Her only blemish was a runner-up effort to Last Leaf  in last summer’s Azalea Stakes. Last Leaf finished fifth in the Inside Information.

The winner, trained by Joseph Catanese III, pushed her earnings to $338,580.

Maryquitecontrary, a homebred for owner Rodney G. Lundeck, is produced from the Mecke  mare Mary Kate ‘n Kelly, a half sister to Florida-bred millionaire Supah Blitz . The dam of four winners from five foals to race, Mary Kate ‘n Kelly has also begat Arabella's Tune , who is responsible for 2021 FTBOA Florida Sire Wildcat Heir Stakes victor Pro Quality .

Endorsed Notches Long-Awaited Stakes Triumph in Fred W. Hooper

Another heavy favorite succumbed over the Gulfstream strip just two races later in the $150,000 Fred W. Hooper Stakes (G3) as trainer Mike Maker registered his second graded stakes win of the day with the hard-knocking Endorsed .

Remarkably, the Hooper was the first black-type score for 7-year-old Endorsed, a blueblood sprung from Godolphin’s finest breeding. A son of top sire Medaglia d'Oro  , Endorsed is produced from the grade 1-winning mare Dance Card, making him a half brother to 2022 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) hero and Eclipse Award finalist Cody's Wish . Initially campaigned by Godolphin and trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, and later Bill Mott, Maker claimed Endorsed for $100,000 out of an allowance optional claiming contest at Saratoga Race Course in 2021.

Racking up encouraging efforts for his new barn, though failing to land a black-type victory, Endorsed had also been entered in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) later on the card. Opting for the Fred W. Hooper, Endorsed at last enjoyed his moment in the sun on Saturday, rumbling home a 2 3/4-length winner under jockey Luis Saez.

In tight into the run for the first turn, Saez guided the bay to the outside and found rooming room for Endorsed down the backstretch as Picking Up Pennies  maintained a narrow advantage over Prevalence  through early fractions of :23.73 and :46.69. Set to a drive around the bend, Endorsed ranged into play and engaged a four-way scramble to the finish before asserting his dominance in the final yards.  

"All the speed was on the inside and they were cooking," Saez said. "I felt as if I was on morning workout just waiting to make my move. Everything just worked out great.”

An earner of $837,593, Endorsed ($11.80) completed the mile in 1:35.67 in his 33rd-lifetime start. Locally-based geldings Octane and Dean Delivers topped off trifecta.

The 9-5 favorite, Miles D., entering the Hooper off an 11-month hiatus, never threatened and checked in seventh.

"Luis (Saez) had (Endorsed) in a nice position and he proved best," Maker said. "He’s lost a few tough races, maybe now he’s finally figuring out how to win.”