Therapist, Amazing Grace Win Graded Races at Gulfstream

Two starts after being claimed by trainer Mike Maker for $50,000 on behalf of owner Michael Dubb, 8-year-old Therapist  secured the first graded-stakes victory of his long career April 1 in the $200,000 Pan American Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream Park.

Even-money favorite Master Piece  had the lead in the stretch in the 1 1/2-mile race and appeared poised to win, but he was caught and passed inside the sixteenth pole by Therapist on the inside and Bay Street Money  on the outside. Therapist, a New York-bred son of Freud  , prevailed by three-quarters of a length in 2:29.22 and paid $11. Master Piece finished third, a length behind Maker-trained Bay Street Money. Maker also finished fourth with Wicked Fast .

"I was never dreaming we would do this. We have conversations about pedigree, and this horse knows his way to the winner's circle; it's his 12th time," Dubb said. "The pedigree really screamed long and we said, 'Let's give it a try and see what happens.' Then you have Irad Ortiz as your pilot, and it all comes together."

Primarily racing in New York, Therapist entered the Pan American with 11 victories in 38 starts but was winless in five graded races. Following a victory in a starter allowance on Gulfstream's Tapeta track Feb. 11, Maker prepared the gelding for his first try at 1 1/2 miles. Therapist and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. sat behind early fractions of :23.35, :48.53 and the mile in 1:38.78 and then made a run toward the lead.

Therapist is out of the Smart Strike  mare Lady Renaissance , who has three winners from six foals to race, including stakes-winning Fresco .

Amazing Grace Earns North American Stakes Honors in Orchid

Though she did not have an ideal trip, Amazing Grace  completed her first race in North America with a half-length victory in the $150,000 Orchid Stakes (G3T) over 1 1/2 miles on turf at Gulfstream.

Veteran trainer Christophe Clement, saddling the mare for the first time, won the Orchid for the eighth time. He also saddled the third-place finisher Atomic Blonde .

While Transient  led the way with opening fractions of :24.53 and :49.58, Amazing Grace and Joel Rosario were stationed near the back of the eight-horse field. Rosario had her toward the inside in the run through the backstretch, swung her wide on the third turn and came back closer to the rail when the leader, Personal Best , drifted out in the stretch.

Amazing Grace, a 5-year-old German-bred daughter of Protectionist , was twice a group 2 winner in Germany. She finished in the top three in her final eight starts in Europe, all stakes. Moyglare Stud Farm purchased her for the equivalent of $895,972 in the Arqana December Sale and sent her to Clement.

Sent off as the 6-5 favorite, Amazing Grace was timed on firm turf in 2:28.82 and paid $4.40 to win as the favorite. Joseph Allen's Personal Best, who was bidding for her second-straight graded-stakes win, edged Atomic Blonde by 1 1/4 lengths for second.

Amazing Grace is out of the Danehill Dancer  mare Amabelle , who has two winners from three foals to race. Her last reported foal is a yearling Protectionist  filly.