HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. — Alittleloveandluck was both good and — and just a little lucky — on Saturday in winning the $100,000 Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
That’s because owner and trainer Mike Dini never intended to race the 3-year-old filly in the mile turf stakes and did so only because the track racing office talked him into it in order to fill the race.
“They were short on horses,” Dini said.
Dini’s good fortune paid off in the form of the gray filly’s 1/2-length victory over Ocean Safari. Even-money favorite Opalina was third in the field of seven. Jockey Paco Lopez gave the filly a ground-saving trip before powering past four horses in the stretch for the win.
Dini felt Alittleloveandluck was destined for turf racing but began to have his doubts when the Florida-bred daughter of Arrogate failed to hit the board in either of her first two career turf starts.
She broke maiden on Nov. 12 at Gulfstream in what was her fourth career start, and first on Tapeta.
When the Gulfstream racing office called to see if he would try her once again on turf in the Ginger Brew, Dini figured why not?
“I said, well, I might as well try her one more time on the grass with a short field,” Dini said.
Now, Dini said he intends to keep her on grass, at least for the time being.
Gulfstream Park Replay Show, Jan. 1, 2022
Gulfstream Press Release
Photo: Alittleloveandluck (Lauren King)
