Il Miracolo breaks his maiden Nov. 12, 2022 at Gulfstream Park (Coglianese)
Simplification To Rest Up for Possible Saratoga Return
NYRA Press Office
ELMONT, N.Y.— Il Miracolo, a recent gate-to-wire optional-claiming winner at Gulfstream Park, breezed this morning at the Hallandale Beach oval in preparation for a start in the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets.
Trained by Antonio Sano for Alexandres, the Gun Runner chestnut colt worked a bullet five-eighths in 1:01.06 over a sloppy main track at Gulfstream Park.
“He had a very good work. He leaves for Belmont next Saturday,” Sano said.
The $70,000 OBS June 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale purchase sports a ledger of 10-2-3-0 for purse earnings of $103,125. He started in five stakes races between December and April 1 with his best result a fifth-place finish in the Grade 3 Holy Bull in February at Gulfstream.
Last out, Il Miracolo led gate-to-wire in a one-mile optional-claimer to post a 1 3/4-length score under Marcos Meneses, who will retain the mount for the Belmont Stakes.
“He won his last race going a mile at Gulfstream. He showed good speed,” Sano said.
Sano said he is cautiously optimistic about the chestnut’s chances as he stretches out beyond nine furlongs for the first time.
“It’s a very strong race and the horse is a little green right now, but I hope he can run well and run a strong race,” Sano said.
Sano said that Tami Bobo’s graded-stakes winner Simplification will have a little downtime ahead of a summer campaign following his last out fifth in the Grade 3 Ghostzapper on April 1 at Gulfstream.
“I sent him to the farm to rest for two months and he will come back in July maybe for Saratoga,” Sano said.
The 4-year-old Not This Time colt captured the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth last year at Gulfstream en route to a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.
