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 entered the Sprint off a two-length local score over
entry-level allowance foes on January 12.
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 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.
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.
She paid $6.80 to win as the near 5-2 second choice in the seven-horse field.
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.