Front-Running Victory Puts Mare Over $500,000 in Career Purses
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Multiple stakes winner Miss Auramet, unable to overcome traffic trouble in her prior start, had no such issues in her return Saturday at Gulfstream Park, cruising to a front-running 1 ¾-length victory in the $100,000 Ladies’ Turf Sprint.
The 13th running of the Ladies’ Turf Sprint for fillies and mares 4 and up served as the supporting stake for the $100,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint (G3), also at five furlongs and won in an 8-1 upset by Yes I Am Free.
Ridden by Julien Leparoux for trainer Eddie Plesa Jr., Miss Auramet ($9.40) completed the distance in 56.87 seconds over a fast turf course for her 11th career victory and third in a stakes, while passing the $500,000 mark in lifetime earnings.
“It just makes me feel real good, not because we own a piece of her but because she deserves it,” Plesa said. “She just goes out there and tries hard every time she runs.”
Owned by David Melin, Leon Ellman and Plesa’s wife, Laurie, Miss Auramet ran sixth, beaten 3 ¼ lengths by Miss J McKay following a difficult trip in the five-furlong Abundantia Dec. 31 at Gulfstream. In their rematch, Miss J McKay was sent off the 3-5 favorite in a field of seven, with Miss Auramet a distant second choice at 7-2.
“I thought she ran the kind of race she was supposed to run last time. They didn’t give her any respect. I was kind of surprised by that,” Plesa said. “The last time she ran she got in a ton of trouble, there’s no question about it.
“She’s a hard-knocking old horse,” he added. “She just had a clean trip, and the clean trip was the difference between her winning and losing.”
Breaking from Post 6, Miss Auramet quickly took command and ran an opening quarter mile in 22.79 seconds with only mild pressure from 30-1 long shot Sister Peacock. Meanwhile, Miss J McKay and jockey Tyler Gaffalione were forced to check just a few strides out of the gate and shuffled near the back of the pack, and were never able to recover.
Leparoux and Miss Auramet remained in control through a half in 45.21 while Poseidon’s Passion took up the chase. Miss Auramet straightened for home comfortably in front and was never threatened as 25-1 long shot Nikee Kan closed late to be second with Reinagol third and Miss J McKay fourth.
“I had a good post today. She broke good and did her thing. We didn’t have much pressure on the front end, and she did it easy, so at the end she came home very fast and she did it the whole way,” Leparoux said. “I thought today we could get the lead. I didn’t think we were going to go that easy, but she did it fine today.”
Leparoux was riding Miss Auramet for the first time but recalled facing her when finishing second aboard Fouzia in an optional claiming allowance sprinting five furlongs over the turf on Dec. 5, opening weekend of Gulfstream’s 2021-2022 Championship Meet.
“I remember she was really, really fast,” Leparoux said. “She was right next to me so I got to see her very close, but I couldn’t get by her. I knew she was a game filly and she’d fight to the end.
“Even before the race I was very confident. I thought she had a good chance to win,” he added. “The way the first eighth [of a mile] went, I knew I had a big shot.”
Purchased in April 2018 as a 2-year-old in training for $135,000, Florida-bred Miss Auramet moved her career record to 11 wins, eight seconds and three thirds with $548,750 in purse earnings.
Gulfstream Park Press Release
