'Life' Denies Isotherm in Dania Beach
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Lauren King
Life Imitates Art outfinishes Isotherm to win the Dania Beach Stakes.
Life Imitates Art shot between rivals in the stretch to lead and was all out to prevail by a head from Isotherm in the $100,000 Dania Beach Stakes (gr. IIIT) Jan. 2 at Gulfstream Park.
Getting a perfectly judged ride from Joel Rosario, Life Imitates Art relaxed along the inside early before coming from off the pace to score his first stakes win; covering 7 1/2 furlongs on firm turf in 1:30.42. Urban Bourbon was third.
Life Imitates Art was settled in seventh early and advanced to fifth in the 10-horse field as Copingaway led Duffle Bag by about a half length down the backstretch, with Isotherm tracking from fourth, then third through a half mile in :49.40.
In the stretch, Rosario drove the winner through a gap between rivals and he was fully extended through the final furlong to repel Isotherm for the win.
"I was trying to save some ground, we had a lot of horse," Rosario said after the race. "I was waiting and then hopefully the horse in the front would come in and then maybe I could go out, but he decided to stay outside and then I went outside the other horse. I was just looking for some room. He's a nice horse, trying really hard."
Life Imitates Art has been nothing if not consistent in his five-start career. After finishing second by a neck to Isotherm Aug. 22 at Saratoga Race Course in his second career start, the son of More Than Ready was a nose short in a Belmont Park maiden on Oct. 18, but was awarded the victory by the stewards to officially break his maiden. Last time out he was second by a neck in the Pulpit Stakes Nov. 28 at Gulfstream Park West.
Life Imitates Art paid $9, $4, and $3.20, and Isotherm returned $4.60 and $3.80. Urban Bourbon paid $4.60 to show.
Surgical Strike was fourth, followed by Duffle Bag, 2-1 favorite Ray's The Bar, At the Ready, Mountain Music Man, Copingaway, and Fast Karma to complete the order of finish.
Brown also sent out Ray's The Bar.
"It was a tale of two trips--he was stuck behind a slow pace and wide," he said. "Not the ideal trip for him. He's trained far better than that and we'll draw a line through this, regroup to a different stakes next time."
Life Imitates Art is campaigned by Klaravich Stables and William H. Lawrence, who a bit later on Saturday won the Jerome (gr. II) for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct Racetrack with heavy favorite Flexibility (Bluegrass Cat ), also trained by Brown.
Life Imitates Art was bred in Florida by Hardacre Farm. His dam is multiple graded-placed Habiboo, a daughter of Unbridled's Son who is a half sister to grade I-winning sprinter Street Boss . Offered by his breeder via Brookdale Sales at the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale, he sold to Northway Bloodstock for $175,000.