In a race neither horse really deserved to lose, 'TDN Rising Stars' Speed Franco (Declaration of War) managed to claw back pacesetting Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the final few jumps to take Saturday's GIII Dania Beach S. at Gulfstream Park by a head. GSW and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up Untamed Domain (Animal Kingdom) was a further 2 3/4 lengths back in third to complete a 'Rising Star' trifecta that returned a hundred dollar bill and some change for a $2 investment.
Speed Franco was perhaps fractionally faster at the break, but Gidu, stretching out to two turns off an impressive maiden victory over five furlongs Dec. 23, was intent on making the front and was allowed to cross and clear before establishing a daylight advantage turning up the backside. Racing freely, but not over-racing by any means, Gidu covered the first couple of furlongs in a sharp :22.66 but managed to conserve some energy through a half in :46.99. The trade-off for that softer sectional was that it allowed Emisael Jaramillo and Speed Franco to creep to within a tight length entering the second turn. There was little quit inside of Gidu, however, who clung on to a narrow advantage into the lane and for every step of the final furlong and a half, bar the one that mattered most. Untamed Domain settled midpack and made a decent run into third prior to the stretch before staying on at one pace for third. Trainer Graham Motion tweeted that he was pleased with the effort and that a dirt try could be in the offing.
“The trainer has run this horse how they thought they needed to, close to the lead,” the winning jockey said. “In the previous race, he ran from behind and that didn't work so they decided to run him on the lead. The plan was to chase the lead and it worked today.”
Demoted to second behind Channel Cat (English Channel) on course-and-distance debut Sept. 23, Speed Franco resumed with a 'Rising Star'-worthy, six-length success in the Dec. 9 Pulpit S. Ridden from off the pace in the Jan. 6 Kitten's Joy S., the bay was sixth, beaten a length in a blanket finish.
Pedigree Notes:
Speed Franco is the first U.S. graded winner for his sire and second overall–Actress (Ire) won last year's G3 Anglesey S. and was third in the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. last year in Ireland for the Coolmore triumvirate. The $170,000 Keeneland September purchase is out of an unplaced half-sister to European champion Aljabr (Storm Cat) and has yearling and 2-year-old full-sisters. The mare was most recently bred to War Front's champion son Air Force Blue.
Saturday, Gulfstream Park
DANIA BEACH S.-GIII, $100,000, GP, 2-3, 3yo, 1mT, 1:36.28, gd.
1–SPEED FRANCO, 120, c, 3, by Declaration of War
1st Dam: Nabat Seif, by Street Sense
2nd Dam: Sierra Madre (Fr), by Baillamont
3rd Dam: Marie d'Irlande (Fr), by Kalamoun (GB)
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($170,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP).
'TDN Rising Star' O-Grupo 7C Racing Stable; B-Ice Wine Stables (KY); T-Gustavo
Delgado; J-Emisael Jaramillo. $59,520. Lifetime Record:
4-2-1-0, $112,830. Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A++.[bullet ad=”all-in-line-broken-trained-double”][bullet ad=”eaton-sold”]2–Gidu (Ire), 116, c, 3, Frankel%20(GB)&log=#tot">Frankel (GB)–Manerbe, by Unbridled's
Song. 'TDN Rising Star' (€410,000 Ylg '16 ARAUG). O-Zayat Stables, LLC;
B-Ecurie Des Monceaux (IRE); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $19,200.[bullet ad=”justincasse-gidu”][bullet ad=”mckathan-brothers-training-grad”]3–Untamed Domain, 122, c, 3, Animal Kingdom–Ciao, by Lear
Fan. 'TDN Rising Star' ($90,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP). O-West Point Thoroughbreds;
B-Clearsky Farms (KY); T-H. Graham Motion. $9,600.
Margins: HD, 2 3/4, 4HF. Odds: 4.40, 2.30, 1.20.
Also Ran: Channel Cat, Renaisance Frolic, Machtree, Cometin, Cuestion de Tiempo, Golden Dragon. Scratched: Wildcat's Legacy.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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