Strike Power the Real Deal in Swale Stakes Victory

Owner Don Adam had the same question rolling through his mind following Strike Power's debut as most who had witnessed the colt's eight-length victory Dec. 23.

"There's a lot of anxiety because his first race was just unbelievable ... so you wonder, is that for real?" Adam said of his Courtlandt Farms homebred. "I think it is."

It officially became safe to buy into the Strike Power hype Feb. 3 when the son of Speightstown  controlled every step of the seven-furlong Swale Stakes (G3) on his way to a 2 3/4-length victory in the $200,000 test for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream Park.

Strike Power's first graded stakes win came in near identical fashion as his stylish maiden triumph. When the chestnut colt debuted for trainer Mark Hennig going 5 1/2 furlongs at Gulfstream in December, he broke sharply and was in command at every point of call en route to stunning those who let him go at 12-1 odds that day.

The bandwagon was full Saturday with Strike Power sent off as the 4-5 choice over five rivals. After racing through fractions of :22.95 and :45.45 for a half-mile while chased by Tricks to Doo, Strike Power held a clear advantage on the far turn under Luis Saez, extending that margin in the lane on his way to covering the distance in 1:22.68 over a fast track.

"He fell out of there nicely," Hennig said. "He's just quick. He's quick away from there right in hand. Then, I thought he had it pretty easy from there.

"I was concerned (with the jump to stakes company). There's not a lot of options. He's a horse whose first race warranted a jump in class."

Gotta Go closed along the rail to finish second, a length ahead of Diamond King in third. Tricks to Doo, Empire Power, and Piven rounded out the order of finish.

Out of the Medaglia d'Oro  mare Gold d'Oro, Strike Power was offered at the 2016 Keeneland September yearling sale only to be bought back for $300,000 when Adam said he was convinced to have some second thoughts.

"This individual is one of the few that we kept because normally we sell," Adam explained. "We had a short list of horses and our trainer Ernie Retamoza said, 'I think we brought one up here that is equal to some on our short list.' So we bought him back."

Strike Power improved his earnings to $147,960. Hennig said no decision has been made on where the speedy colt might turn up next.

"We'll talk about it. There's plenty of options out there," he said. "Two turns would be an option. We'll have to see that through, probably. He's a horse who seems to relax when he's there and he's quick enough to put himself in the front."

The Swale Stakes was one of five graded stakes for 3-year-olds on Gulfstream's card.

In the $200,000 Forward Gal Stakes (G3) for sophomore fillies going seven furlongs, Take Charge Paula gave her new connections a quick return on their investment when she took over the lead around the far turn and maintained that momentum despite floating wide en route to a 3 1/2-length win over Sultry.

Take Charge Paula was making her first start for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and owner Peter Deutsch having been purchased privately in recent weeks after ending her 2017 campaign with back-to-back stakes wins. The daughter of Take Charge Indy took her form one step further Saturday when she raced out to an early advantage as the 5-2 choice under jockey Paco Lopez before settling in second after Heavenhasmynikki surged up the rail to lead the opening quarter in :23.35.

Take Charge Paula then cruised by the pacesetter midway around the turn past a :46.67 half-mile and kicked away in the lane to stop the teletimer in 1:23.47 for her first graded stakes win.

"(Previous trainer) Kelly (Breen) had won three stakes with her and someone mentioned that she was for sale," McLaughlin said. "Peter (Deutsch) is new in our barn and he's been looking for fillies that might later be broodmare prospects. It was a perfect case scenario. He said, 'Sure, let's try to get it done,' and we bought her and here we are now, a graded-stakes winner."

My Miss Lilly finished third in the eight-horse Forward Gal field followed by Heavenhasmynikki, and Morning Destiny completing the top five.

Previously campaigned by owner Bruce Tallisman, Take Charge Paula won the White Clay Creek Stakes at Delaware Park last August in her second career start and finished second in the Matron Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park in October. The lone off-the-board effort from the filly came when she ran tenth in the Pocahontas Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs in September. After the Matron, she took the Smart Halo Stakes and House Party Stakes in her final two starts of her juvenile season.

Bred in Kentucky by Extern Developments out of the Songandaprayer mare Perfect Paula, Take Charge Paula has won five of seven starts with $308,520 in earnings.

"I'm not sure what we're going to do with her next," McLaughlin said. "We'll consider (stretching her out)."