Robert Clay’s homebred MEDALLIST (Touch Gold) proved best in Saturday’s $100,000
Deputy Minister H. (G3)
at Gulfstream Park, grabbing the lead soon after the start and
drawing clear on the far turn. Trailed by eventual runner-up Mister Fotis (Diligence) for
the majority of the trip, Medallist crossed the wire 1 3/4 lengths in front and stopped the clock
for the 6 1/2-furlong fast track competition in 1:15 3/5 under jockey Jose Santos.
The Allen Jerkins trainee left the gate at just over even money to return
$4.20, $3.60 and $2.10, keying $1 exotics of $14.60 (exacta), $28.20 (trifecta)
and a 5-3-2-1 superfecta of $75.30. Mister Fotis, who was off at nearly 12-1, paid $7.80 and $2.20 while even-money favorite Kela (Numerous) finished
another 5 1/2 lengths back in third
and was worth $2.10. Paradise Dancer (Langfuhr) landed just off the board with
Nightmare Affair (Out of Place) and Voodoo (Petionville) in tow. Forest Danger
(Forestry) was scratched from the race.
This win increases Medallist’s record to 11-5-1-1 with $351,375 in earnings.
The four-year-old owns previous wins in last year’s Dwyer S. (G2), Wither S.
(G3) and Kenny Noe Jr. H.. Bred in Kentucky by Clay and the Albert G. Clay 1990
Revocable Trust, the chestnut is out of the Grade 1-placed Santaria (Star de
Naskra), who is also the dam of an unnamed yearling colt by Point Given.