Falling Sky Upsets GP Sprint at 14-1
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Newtown Anner Stud and Joseph Bulger's Falling Sky won for the first time since the 2013 Sam F. Davis Stakes (gr. III), upsetting the Feb. 8 Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes (gr. III) by 5 1/2 lengths just about a year after his last triumph.
Off at odds of 14-1 under jockey Luis Saez when the field of 11 sprung the gates at Gulfstream Park, the 4-year-old Lion Heart runner wrested control of the lead from Singanothersong and never looked back, setting the pace through fractions of :22.61, :44.37, and 1:07.86 en route to a stakes-record final time of 1:20.65 over seven furlongs on the fast track.
Falling Sky triggered a juicy $1,627.60 payoff when 99-1 shot Narvaez got the jump on the inside by half a length over Brujo de Olleros.
Recently brought back off the layup and runner-up by half a length to Donn Handicap (gr. I) threat Revolutionary in a Jan. 11 allowance going a mile at the South Florida oval, Pennsylvania-bred Falling Sky was making his second start of the season. He paid $31.60, $13.40, and $8 while Narvaez brought $89.20 and $23.60, with Brujuo de Olleros bringing $4.80.
Catron, Singanothersong, Reveron, Laugh Track, Silver Menace, Jackson Bend, Fort Loudon, and Purple Egg completed the order of finish.
Falling Sky took an extended rest after finishing 19th and last of all in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), unraced until a ninth in the City of Laurel Stakes early last November at Laurel Park. He has been trained by George Weaver since his return. Antonio Sano conditioned the colt for his first three starts; John Terranova II took over for the next four after the current connections purchased Falling Sky through agent Justin Casse for $425,000 as a racing or stallion prospect from Off The Hook's consignment at the Ocala Breeders Sales Co.'s January sale in 2013.
Among the bay runner's solid efforts after winning the Feb. 2 Sam F. Davis in the early part of the 3-year-old season were a third behind Verrazano and Java's War in the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. II) and a fourth in the Arkansas Derby (gr. I). The Gulfstream Park Sprint victory improved his record to 4-1-1 from 10 starts, with earnings of $320,470.
Bred by Copper Penny Stables out of the Sea Hero mare Sea Dragoness, Falling Sky was purchased by Off The Hook, acting as agent for Calixto Armas, for $16,000 from Brookdale Sales, agent for Copper Penny, at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale in 2010.