HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – St. Elias Stable’s Dr Post overcame major traffic problems at Gulfstream Park Saturday that would have even stumped Waze to prevail with an impressive victory in the $75,000 Unbridled Stakes.
No need for a fancy traffic app when Trainer Todd Pletcher had the services of defending two-time Eclipse champion Irad Ortiz Jr. during Dr Post’s eventful journey in the 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds.
Dr Post, who gave Ortiz his fourth winner of the afternoon in his first day of riding since March 19, drew off to score by 1 ½ lengths to capture his stakes debut in his third career start.
“He was able to overcome all that and in the end came to the wire with his ears pricked,” Pletcher said. “That’s exciting.”
Dr Post was stuck in traffic virtually from the start of the Unbridled, running several lengths behind a pacesetting Americanus, who set fractions of 24.07 and 47.47 seconds for the first half-mile while pressed by Relentless Dancer and Soros into the far turn. Dr. Post encountered some bumping with Attachment Rate heading into the far turn and remained in traffic on the turn into the homestretch as Americanus held a slight lead under Edgard Zayas. Dr Post finally found a gap between horses and shook free approaching the eighth-pole, kicking in with an impressive run to stamp himself as a most exciting 3-year-old prospect.
“He got through between horses and when he finally got through he just took off,” Ortiz said. “He’s still such a young horse. I think when he grows up a little bit in his mind, it will help him a little bit more. But he did everything right. I can’t complain.”
Attachment Rate, the 2-1 second choice who finished third in the Gotham (G3) at Aqueduct in his previous start, finished second under Luis Saez, 1 ¼ lengths ahead of Americanus.
Dr Post ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.07 to follow up a sharp victory in a seven-furlong maiden race March 29 at Gulfstream.
“I was concerned that we were going from a seven-furlong maiden to a solid field of experienced racehorses. I was concerned that I was throwing too much at him in just his second start of the year. But he trained so impressively – his last two breezes were so good,” Pletcher said. “We had the option of taking him to Oaklawn for an allowance race, but I said, ‘we’re here and the horse is doing well, let’s take a calculated risk.’ I thought for a lightly horse to respond that way and overcome some traffic, it was impressive. He got the win and got a good education. He showed a lot of talent and backed it up again today.”
The son of Quality Road, who is out of multiple-stakes winner Mary Delaney, stumbled at the start of his July 4 debut at Belmont Park, finishing fourth behind Green Light Go, who went on to win the Saratoga Special (G2) and finish second in the Champagne (G1). Dr Post came off a ninth-month layoff on the Florida Derby undercard to break his maiden with authority.
“Like everyone else, we’ll wait and see what options we have. Hopefully, we’ll find out some news from New York when they’re thinking about reopening hopefully this week. By the time he’s ready to run we’ll have a better idea what our options are, but I was very, very encouraged by that.”
