Objection shakes 8th race order while longshots rule the day.
Winchester Place Thoroughbreds LLC’s Princess Causeway ($13.40) rallied from last at the top of the stretch to capture her 2020 debut in Saturday’s featured optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares in Race 12 at Gulfstream Park.
The Ian Wilkes-trained 4-year-old daughter of Giant’s Causeway was rated off a hot pace, trailing the field as J P’s Delight and Violent Times contested the pace while setting fractions of 21.91 and 44.75 seconds for the first half mile of six-furlong feature. Violent Times put away the 8-5 favorite on the turn into the stretch and opened a clear lead in early stretch while Princess Causeway continued to trail the nine-horse field while being swung outside for a wide stretch drive. Chris Landeros put his mount in gear at the top of the stretch and the Kentucky-bred filly surged late to catch a tiring Violent Times by a length.
“She’s always had talent. I don’t think she’s ever been beat in an allowance,” Wilkes said. “She trained well coming back and I’m very pleased with her.”
Princess Causeway ran six furlongs in 1:10.18 while winning her fifth race in 11 career starts.
Other Goings At Gulfstream
Robert and Lawana Low’s Colonel Liam ($10.40), a $1.2 million purchase at the 2019 OBS April sale, was awarded first-money after making his debut in Race 8, a mile maiden special weight race for 3-year-olds and up, on Saturday’s program at Gulfstream Park.
The Todd Pletcher-trained 3-year-old son of Liam’s Map finished second behind Per Capita, the 3-2 favorite, after setting the pace but was placed first following an objection lodged by jockey Luis Saez and a stewards’ inquiry into the stretch run. The stewards determined that Chad Brown-trained Per Capita crowded the rail-running Colonel Liam in deep stretch, causing Saez to check his mount hard nearing the finish line. Per Capita was placed second after running the mile in 1:37.91.
Two races earlier, Brown-trained Mister Winston ($12.40) closed from off the pace to score a half-length debut victory over Pletcher-trained favorite, Ima Pharoah in a 6 ½-furlong maiden special weight race for 3-year-olds.
Peter Brant and Robert Lapenta’s son of Lookin At Lucky ran 6 ½ furlongs in 1:17.63 under Dylan Davis.
Longshots Set the Table for a Record $524,966 Early Pick 5
Longshots dominated the first three races of Saturday’s 13-race program at Gulfstream Park, setting up a record $524,966.50 Early Pick 5 payoff.
The winning combination was 8-4-1-3-6.
Freddy Soto ($148.40) captured Race 1, followed by Union Lane ($70) in Race 2 and He’s a Babe ($75.20) in Race 3. Favorites Enzoexpress ($7) in Race 4 and Lashara ($5.40) in Race 5 finished off the record payoff. Lashara was the only horse in the 12-horse field covered in the Early Pick 5.
Freddy Soto keyed a $52,510.06 payoff for a 10-cent ticket in Race 1 and a $14,483.65 payoff for the 50-cent Pick 3 that spanned Races 1-3.
Gulfstream Park Press Release
Photo: Princess Causeway wins going away on the dirt at Churchill Downs in November 2019. Credit: Winchester Place Thoroughbreds LLC
