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Iron horse Tackleberry does it again in Gulf Park 'Cap

Tackleberry (far right) has proven to be a throwback type at Gulfstream this winter (Joe Ganley/EquiSport Photos) The Luis Olivares owned-and-trained TACKLEBERRY (Montbrook) enhanced his candidacy as horse of the meeting for Gulfstream Park's 2011 season with a gutsy neck score in Saturday's $300,000 Gulfstream Park H. (G2). The one-mile test was the third stakes win of the meet for the versatile gelding, who has notched important stakes at 1 1/8 miles, seven furlongs and now at a one-turn mile during the streak. With leads ranging from a half-length to a full length down the backside, Tackleberry established splits of :24 2/5, :47 3/5 and 1:11. Turning for home, Tackleberry began to open on the field and led by 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong to go, but had to dig deep in the final yards as Soaring Empire (Empire Maker) and Tizway (Tiznow) launched late bids and cut into the margin. Under Javier Santiago, Tackleberry found the wire in time and completed the distance in 1:35 1/5 at odds of 9-2. He paid $11, $5.20 and $3.80. Soaring Empire, who defeated Tackleberry in the Hal's Hope S. (G3) in early January over the same course and distance, endured a very wide trip and might have proven slightly best under better circumstances. At 3-1, he nosed out 7-2 chance Tizway by a nose for the place. It was a half-length back to Duke of Mischief (Graeme Hall) in fourth, with Jackson Bend (Hear No Evil), 2-1 favorite Rule (Roman Ruler), Pulsion (Include) and Our Dark Knight (Medaglia d'Oro) completing the order of finish.

"The trainer told me to go to the front no matter what," Santiago said. "He said 'if you need to use him in the beginning, use him. I want to see him in front.' He's a very special horse. My horse when he goes to the front, he likes to fight. My horse saw the horse on the outside and that was it."

Tackleberry didn't make his career debut until last July and broke his maiden by 11 lengths in his third career start on September 10. After finishing a close second in his first start against winners, in an entry-level allowance, he went on to clear the condition with a 6 1/4-length score in mid-October. He followed with an another facile victory over allowance/optional claiming rivals and then romped by 5 1/4 lengths in his stakes debut, the six-furlong Jack Dudley Sprint H. on November 13.

The dark bay Florida-bred made it four straight with a nose triumph in the 1 1/8-mile Fred W. Hooper H. (G3) on December 11, but his win streak ended with a fourth in the Hal's Hope. Tackleberry rebounded with a 2 1/4-length victory in the nine-furlong Sunshine Millions Classic at 27-1, and last time took the Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship (G2) over seven furlongs by two lengths. With Saturday's $180,000 payday, the up-and-comer has now earned $757,225 from a 12-9-2-0 line.

Bred by Ocala Stud and out of the unraced Box of Joy (Concerto), Tackleberry is a half-brother to stakes-placed Trippin Star (Trippi) and a trio of unnamed younger siblings -- a Forest Wildcat sophomore colt, a juvenile filly by Discreet Cat and a yearling colt, also by Discreet Cat. Box of Joy herself is a half-sister to Grade 1 hero Outofthebox (Montbrook), stakes winner Ruff and Ready (More Than Ready) and the stakes-placed producer Unlimited Pleasure (Valid Appeal), the dam of Grade 3 scorers Jardin (Montbrook) and Beacon Shine (Montbrook). This is the extended family of Grade 1 victors Mighty Appealing (Valid Appeal) and Songandaprayer (Unbridled's Song) as well as Tackleberry's noted sire, Montbrook (Buckaroo).

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