HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Lea Farms’ Lightening Larry, second in back-to-back stakes to end his juvenile campaign, turned away previously undefeated favorite Of a Revolution at the top of the stretch and sprinted clear to a front-running triumph in the $100,000 Limehouse Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
The fifth running of the six-furlong Limehouse and the seventh renewal of the $100,000 Cash Run for fillies were among five stakes for newly turned 3-year-olds worth $550,000 in purses on a New Year’s Day holiday program headlined by the $150,000 Mucho Macho Man.
Lightening Larry ($8.60) broke alertly and quickly established command under regular rider Romero Maragh, going the opening quarter-mile in 21.75 seconds pressed by Concrete Glory with Of a Revolution settled in fourth on the inside. Maragh remained unmoved as Of a Revolution tipped out to launch a bid leaving the far turn.
“He was just sitting on him, so I felt pretty good turning for home because he hadn’t asked him at all. When he did ask him, he responded,” winning trainer Jeff Engler said. “This horse just keeps getting better.”
Of a Revolution, a winner of both his 2-year-old starts, had the length of the stretch to get by but couldn’t reel in Lightening Larry, who ran five furlongs in 56.59 before finishing up in a sharp 1:09.40 over a fast main track.
“I didn’t expect to be in front, honestly. I thought [Bueno Bueno] would break on top, but we broke so sharp and he just got out there comfortable and just kicked on, which was really nice,” Engler said. “He’s a super nice colt.”
Of a Revolution was a clear second, with O Captain, stakes winning filly Last Leaf, Concrete Glory and Bueno Bueno completing the order of finish.
By Uncaptured, the Sovereign Award winner as Canada’s champion 2-year-old and Horse of the Year in 2012, Lightening Larry now has three wins and three seconds in seven lifetime starts. He ran second to subsequent Remington Springboard Mile winner Make It Big in the seven-furlong Juvenile Sprint Oct. 30 at Gulfstream and most recently the six-furlong Inaugural Dec. 4 at Tampa Bay Downs.
“He’s a grinder. He’s a blue-collar horse that just goes out there and tries his heart out every time,” Engler said. “He lays it all on the line, and when he broke sharp I knew we were in a good spot.”
Engler said he has not settled on a next start for Lightening Larry. Upcoming dirt sprints for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream include the seven-furlong Claiborne Swale (G3) Feb. 5 and six-furlong Hutcheson March 19.
“We’ll just see how he comes out of it and pick something from there,” Engler said.
Gulfstream Park Replay Show, Jan. 1, 2022
Gulfstream Park Press Release
Photo: Lightening Larry (Ryan Thompson)
