Ol Memorial Stable and C.E. Glasscock’s BUFFALO MAN (El Prado [Ire]) overtook
pacesetter Jet Propulsion (Double Honor) in midstretch and drove to the wire a
measured half-length winner of the $125,000
Appleton H. (G3) at Gulfstream Park
on Sunday. Breaking the best from the start, the Cam Gambolati trainee was
taken back to second by Edgar Prado and tracked through moderate splits of :23,
:47 4/5 and 1:12, before being asked for his best. Prado confidently urged
Buffalo Man to the front and kept a game Elusive Fort (SAf) (Fort Wood) at bay
late to earn the win, clocking the one-mile firm turf test in 1:34 4/5. Going
postward as the near 7-2 favorite, the four-year-old colt keyed $1 exotics
worth $37.30 (exacta), $332.70 (trifecta) and $1,936.90 (1-8-10-3 superfecta), while
paying $8.80, $4 and $3.
Elusive Fort broke well and tracked in third on the outside to the stretch,
ultimately finishing a half-length clear of his nearest foe in his second U.S.
start. The 6-1 runner-up was worth $6 and $4.80. Jet Propulsion retained the
show spot by a head and gave back $7.80 at 10-1. Champion Host (Chi) (Hussonet),
who was making his final appearance before heading to stud, was last for the
opening four panels but put in a strong late rally to close out the super as the
second choice. It was another three parts of a length back to Brooklyn Boy (Gone West), who
was followed by Croton Road (Mr. Greeley), Fearless Eagle (Invisible Ink),
British Blue (Storm Cat), Mysterious Peintre (Fr) (Peintre Celebre) and Terrific
Storm (Storm Cat). Magic Mecke (Mecke) was withdrawn.
Buffalo Man now boasts four stakes wins, following triumphs in the Storm Cat
S., Spectacular Bid S. and OBS Championship S. The bay improved his career line
to 11-6-2-1, $318,139, which includes placings in the Sapling S. (G3), Wild
Again S. and, most recently, the Pete Axthelm S. in his turf debut.
The winner was bred in Ontario, Canada, by recent Eclipse Award-winning
breeder Adena Springs and brought $190,000
at the 2006 Adena Springs March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Buffalo Man is
the fourth registered foal out of the multiple stakes-winning Perfect Six (Saratoga Six),
who ran third in the 1998 Hollywood Starlet S. (G1). The 12-year-old mare, who
is a half-sister to Grade 2 hero Commitisize (Explodent) and Grade 2-placed
stakes victor Rusty Spur (West by West), is also responsible for the unraced three-year-old filly Awesome Six
(Awesome Again), the juvenile colt Break and Enter (Olmodavor) and an unnamed
yearling filly by Ghostzapper.