Claimed for $10,000 from an unplaced finish at Hawthorne last fall, Uno Mas Modelo has developed into a quality sprinter this season for Tony Quartarolo and the Loooch Racing Stables colorbearer will pursue his first graded stakes victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Mr. Prospector (G3) at Gulfstream Park.
He’s been installed as the solid 2-1 morning line favorite among 11 runners in the seven-furlong event and Albin Jimenez retains the mount.
Uno Mas Modelo has won five of his last six starts, the lone setback coming when stretching out to a route in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1). He stepped up to the stakes level with a minor upset in the November 1 Bet on Sunshine at Churchill Downs, scoring in front-running fashion at 6-1 odds, and the Kentucky-bred son of Macho Uno posted a career-best 104 BRIS Speed rating for the 4 ½-length decision.
The five-year-old gelding showed versatility overcoming a slow start in the December 1 Claiming Crown Rapit Transit at Gulftream, rallying from well off the pace to prevail as the odds-on choice, and improved to three-for-five at Saturday’s distance.
Coal Front comes next on the morning line at 7-2. A dark bay son of Stay Thirsty, the Todd Pletcher trainee established himself as a promising sprinter when recording wins in last year’s Amsterdam (G2) and Gallant Bob (G3), registering a field-best 108 BRIS Speed in the latter, but wound up spending more than 13 months on the sidelines. Coal Front will try to rebound from a disappointing fifth as the favorite in the November 2 Bold Ruler (G3) at Aqueduct and John Velazquez will retake the assignment.
Multiple stakes victor Heartwood, runner-up in the Bet on Sunshine and Fall Highweight (G3) in his last two outings, has been pegged as the 9-2 third choice. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides the gray son of Tapit for James Chapman. Grade 2 runner-up Kroy, winner of the November 10 Millions Sprint Preview at Gulfstream Park West last out, also merits respect. Armando De La Cerda trains the confirmed front-runner and Paco Lopez will be hustling the early 6-1 fourth choice.
