Mufasa put a dull performance in last month’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) well behind him on Saturday by handing odds-on favorite White Abarrio a 1 1/4-length defeat in the $150,000 Mr. Prospector (G3) at Gulfstream Park.
In contrast to his trip at Del Mar, where he showed little early foot breaking from a wide post, Mufasa was prominent throughout the seven-furlong Mr. Prospector under Tyler Gaffalione. No more than a length behind pacesetter Super Chow down the backside, Mufasa engaged that long-time leader entering the stretch, opened up a three-length advantage with a furlong to go, and safely fended off a belated rally from the favorite.
“I told [Gaffalione] to just go and stay second,” winning trainer Nacho Correas said. “I don’t want dirt on his face, period.”
White Abarrio, prepping for next month’s 1 1/8-mile Pegasus World Cup (G1), broke slowly from post 9, raced more than six lengths adrift of the leaders down the backside, and ultimately ran out of real estate after a wide rally in the stretch. He bested 71-1 longshot Little Vic for second by a neck.
“I think White Abarrio is no doubt a great horse but he’s not a sprinter,” Correas said. “He can sprint, because he’s really good.”
Caramel Chip, a 102-1 outsider, checked in fourth. The order of finish was rounded out by Playmea Tune, Super Chow, Mr Skylight, Illuminare, Real Macho, and El Principito.
Mufasa covered the fast-track test in 1:22.47 and paid $10.20. He is owned by Carlos Saavedra and Stud Vendaval.
A Group 3 winner in his native Chile, Mufasa is now 3-for-5 since his importation to the U.S. Sixth in his American debut, in an allowance at Churchill Downs, the five-year-old subsequently beat allowance foes at Colonial Downs and then captured the Vosburgh (G3) at Aqueduct by 4 1/4 lengths before his 11th-placed finish at the Breeders’ Cup. He has now won 11 of 15 starts lifetime and more than $339,000.
“I thought that was probably my mistake thinking it was better to go two turns than stay sprinting,” Correas said regarding his decision to run Mufasa in the two-turn Dirt Mile, rather than in the six-furlong Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1). “We talked with the owners and that was the decision we made, probably not the right one. We’re going to try to keep him sprinting and see where he takes us.”
Bred by Haras Paso Nevado, Mufasa is a son of Practical Joke and was produced by the Scat Daddy mare Miscanti.
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