Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor’s MADDALENA (Good and Tough) proved much the
best in Saturday’s $100,000
Old Hat S. (G3), the
first of six graded stakes races at Gulfstream Park on the day. The Todd Pletcher charge
chased the pace three wide through the first quarter in the 6 1/2-furlong race
behind Portsea (More than Ready), but took over shortly thereafter. Gaining command midway through the turn,
Maddalena pulled away to an eventual 7 1/4-length
victory under John Velazquez in 1:16 1/5 on the fast track.
The winning sophomore miss paid $3.40, $2.40 and $2.10 as the 3-5 favorite,
leading $1 exotics of $6.10 (exacta) and $15.10 (trifecta). Alfonsina (Grand
Slam) earned the silver position, returning $3.60 and $2.40 with Aspen Tree (Holy
Bull) giving $2.40 for third. Great Intentions (Cat Thief), Portsea, Glittering
Tax (Artax) and Toll Taker (Bernstein) rounded out the order of finish.
Maddalena moved her record to a perfect three-for-three, breaking her maiden in
late April by 5 3/4 lengths before going on the shelf until mid-January. Making
her first start as a sophomore, the chestnut filly dominated an allowance field
at Gulfstream by 6 3/4 lengths in her last one and now shows $102,120 in
earnings. Bred in Maryland by Alan Hilburg, she is out of Two Foxie (Fair
Skies) and counts an unnamed
juvenile filly by Editor’s Note as a half-sister. Maddalena was purchased for
$425,000 as a Fasig-Tipton February two-year-old.