Gary Broad’s Mr Gruff was slowly away in his return from a nearly eight-month
layoff in Friday night’s $67,650
Night
Mover Stakes at Hollywood Park, but that proved to be no impediment for the
slight 5-2 favorite. Rocketing to take over the early lead with Joel Rosario,
the classy turf sprinter kicked clear and held off the rally of fellow
comebacker Compari by three-quarters of a length. The Ron Ellis-trained
seven-year-old zipped six furlongs in 1:08 2/5 on the firm turf and paid $7,
$4.20 and $3.40.
A two-time winner of the Grade 3 San Simeon Handicap at Santa Anita, Mr Gruff
had raced only once this year, fading to last of 16 in the Group 2 Al Quoz
Sprint in Dubai on March 26. The subsequent layoff was nothing new for the dark
bay gelding, who has spent much of his career on the sidelines. He didn’t make
it to the races until he was a four-year-old, when he ran twice before being
shelved for almost 10 months.
Mr Gruff started to make up for lost time early in his five-year-old season,
but after taking the 2009 San Simeon in his stakes debut, he was off for another
11 months. He had another abbreviated campaign in early 2010, highlighted by his
successful title defense in the San Simeon and a game third in the Grade 1
Shoemaker Mile, his only try beyond a sprint distance. He was not seen again
until his Dubai misadventure.
Once again flaunting his ability to fire fresh, Mr Gruff soon recovered from
his tardy start in the Night Mover. He quickly circled the field and overtook
Lt. Hopeful, who had led in the opening strides. Mr Gruff already enjoyed a
daylight lead by the time he reached the opening quarter in :23, and he kept
motoring through splits of :45 and :56 2/5.
Grade 2 veteran Compari, making his first start in six months, rallied to
present the only challenge to Mr Gruff. Although he gradually whittled down the
deficit, Compari never came close enough to put the outcome in serious doubt.
The class of the field stamped their superiority over the rest. A 3
1/4-length gap ensued to Sirocco Strike in third, followed by St Liams Halo, Al
Instante, Ash Zee, Lt. Hopeful and A Jealous Woman. Ash Zee sustained an
apparent injury to her left front leg and was vanned off to trainer Neil
Drysdale’s barn. Ain’t No Other was a vet scratch.
Mr Gruff’s third career stakes score improved his record to 11-6-2-1,
$298,110. Bred by Robert Spiegel in Kentucky, the son of Mr. Greeley brought
$110,000 as a Keeneland September yearling and $200,000 as a Barretts March
two-year-old. He is out of Grade 3 heroine Ruff, a Clever Trick mare.