Soaring Stocks gets up late; It's Me Mom leads all the way

Last updated: 1/28/12 7:15 PM

Soaring Stocks rallied to
win his stakes bow in the Sunshine Millions Sprint

(Adam Coglianese Photography)

Soaring Stocks and It’s Me Mom utilized different tactics, but both proved
successful on the Sunshine Millions program at Gulfstream Park Saturday, winning
the $150,000
Sprint and $150,000
Filly & Mare Sprint, respectively.

E. Paul Robersham’s homebred Soaring Stocks wore down pacesetter Royal
Currier in deep stretch and held off runner-up Cajun Breeze by a half-length
margin in his stakes debut, improving his record to 5-3-0-0 while more than
doubling his career earnings to $152,875. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the
four-year-old son of Trippi broke his maiden in second career start last July
and entered the Sprint off a two-length local score over
entry-level allowance foes on January 12.

“He came out of his last race so well we thought he was up to coming
back in this spot,” Pletcher said. “This is a nice program for
Florida-breds, but this race came up very tough. We’ve always thought he
was a nice horse.”

Royal Currier sprinted to the fore at the start and established splits of :22
and :44 with Madman Diaries chasing in second. Soaring Stocks was stalking in
third, nearly three lengths back after the opening half-mile, and didn’t made
his presence until the final furlong. The pacesetter passed the eighth pole with
a 1 1/2-length advantage, but Soaring Stocks rallied dramatically to get the
money with John Velazquez, completing six furlongs in 1:09 2/5 over the fast
track.

“The race set up absolutely perfectly,” Velazquez said. “He broke fast enough
to be not too far back and right in contention. I had to get busy on him a
little earlier than I would have liked to the way the track is playing today but
it didn’t seem to empty his tank. He had plenty left when I asked him.”

The winner paid $11 to win as the 9-2 fourth choice among eight rivals.

Cajun Breeze, who was exiting a recent maiden special weight victory at
Gulfstream, closed belatedly for second at 19-1, a neck better than 2-1 second
choice Royal Currier. It was three lengths back to Zero Rate Policy in fourth,
and It’s Never to Late, Madman Diaries, 9-5 favorite Apriority and Ribo Bono
rounded out the order of finish.

It’s Me Mom scorched her
rivals from the start in an easy win

(Adam Coglianese Photography)

In the Filly & Mare Sprint, Jean & Thomas Bosch’s homebred It’s Me Mom
blistered her rivals on the front end, winning easily by 6 3/4 lengths. After
capturing her last two starts at Tampa Bay Downs by a combined 16 1/2 lengths,
including the Minaret Stakes on New Year’s Eve, the Lynne Scace-trained filly registered her fifth career stakes win on Saturday, improving her overall ledger
to 14-9-2-1, $425,200. The chestnut has now won six of her last seven starts.

Regular rider Willie Martinez guided the four-year-old daughter of Put It
Back, who reeled off splits of :22 1/5 and :44 2/5 while increasing her
advantage at every call, and It’s Me Mom stopped the teletimer in 1:08 4/5,
considerably quicker than her male counterparts one race later.

“We knew we’d be in front, that’s what she does,” Martinez said. “There’s a
difference between fast and brilliant speed and she has brilliant speed. To go
in :22 today, that’s an accomplishment from how she was earlier in her career.
She’s just a freak.”

It’s Me Mom, who finished fourth in last year’s Grade 3 Old Hat Stakes in her
lone previous appearance at Gulfstream, paid $6.80 to win as the near 5-2 second choice in the seven-horse field.

“I think the biggest difference between then (her performance in the Old Hat)
and now is that she just grew up and matured,” Scace said. “We’ll take her back
to Tampa now. I haven’t really thought much about what might be next.”

Honey Chile chased the winner in second before dropping far back, but she
managed to save the place by a nose over the late-running Indulgence. Champion
female sprinter Musical Romance came another length back in fourth and was
followed by 9-5 favorite Pomeroy’s Pistol, Beat the Blues and Derwin’s Star.