Prospect Park Back to Winning Ways

Pam and Martin Wygod's homebred Prospect Park struggled to put it together in six starts following his last victory in the La Jolla Handicap (G3T) in August of 2015, but found his way to the winner's circle again March 9 at Santa Anita Park.

In a conditional allowance race that featured three other graded stakes winners—Big John B, Conquest Daddyo, and Irish Surf—the 5-year-old son of Tapit   cruised on the lead, set a slow pace, shrugged off a challenge in the final turn and pulled away to win the 1 1/8-mile grass test by 3 1/4 lengths. 

Under jockey Kent Desormeaux, Prospect Park set fractions of :25.16, :50.76, and 1:14.62 through six furlongs, then got a test from Conquest Daddyo in the final turn. The 4-year-old Scat Daddy colt pulled alongside the frontrunner in the final bend, but was no match in the stretch.

Prospect Park ran a mile in 1:37.42 and finished off the distance in 1:48.53, but trainer Cliff Sise was most impressed with the way his horse dispelled the challenge from Conquest Daddyo, who tired to finish fourth. In his last race, Prospect Park finished second to multiple stakes winner Papacoolpapacool in another turf allowance Feb. 5.

"His comeback has been a little up and down, but this time we knew he was dead fit," Sise said. "This horse, he showed fight today. The other day he looked like he was going to win by two (lengths), but he kinda just (flattened out). Today he kicked in. That's what I was happy with. Sure, it was a slow pace, but when they get common like that, it doesn't matter how good a trip they have."

Sise said Prospect Park should return in April, and will likely land in a stakes, but how he'll run depends on how the dark brown runner feels that day.

"We know what he's capable of, but Tapits are very temperamental," Sise said. "They've got their own minds and he does have that temperament. When he feels like it, he's capable. He should have beaten these horses like he did, and he did."

Multiple stakes winner Farhaan came in second, followed by Wanstead Gardens, Conquest Daddyo, Big John B, and Irish Surf.

Prospect Park now has a 4-7-2 record from 17 starts and $515,770 in earnings.