SKY HIGH
   Falling Sky (Lion Heart), the $425,000 topper from the OBS January Mixed Sale a few weeks back (
TDN Coverage), was cross-entered for Saturday's GII Hutcheson S. going seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park, but trainer John Terranova was eager to try two turns with the colt. The plan came together when Falling Sky led from gate to wire to defeat Dynamic Sky (Sky Mesa) by a neck in the GIII Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa yesterday. "This is why we bought him," Terranova commented. "We thought he would be a natural route horse. Nick Sallusto suggested the purchase, and we put together a few of our big clients and went and got him for this reason. We cross-entered him in the Hutcheson because we weren’t sure if now was the time to stretch him to two turns or to continue the natural progression, but obviously it looks like we made the right call."
 
Saturday, Tampa Bay
SAM F. DAVIS S.-GIII, $202,500, TAM, 2-2, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44 3/5, ft.
1--#@FALLING SKY, 116, c, 3, by Lion Heart
1st Dam: Sea Dragoness (MSP), by Sea Hero
2nd Dam: Slew the Dragoness, by Slew City Slew
3rd Dam: Sad Song, by Roberto
($16,000 wlng '10 KEENOV; $425,000 HRA ‘13 OBSJAN). O-Newtown Anner Stud, James Covello & Joseph Bulger; B-Copper Penny Stables LLC (PA); T-John P Terranova II; J-Jose L Espinoza. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, $164,800. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.


2--Dynamic Sky, 116, c, 3, Sky Mesa--Murani, by Distorted Humor. (C$25,000 yrl '11 ONTSEP). O-John C Oxley; B-Arosa Farms (ON); T-Mark E Casse. $40,000.

3--My Name Is Michael, 116, c, 3, Macho Uno--Graciously Soft, by Vindication. ($30,000 RNA wlng '10 KEENOV; $22,000 RNA yrl '11 KEESEP). O-Barry Butzer & Wachtel Stable; B-Sun Valley Farm (KY); T-William I Mott. $20,000.

Margins: NK, 3, 1. Odds: 7.90, 1.80, 1.70.
Also Ran: Speak Logistics, Midnite Poppa, Divine Ambition, Silver Day, Lightning Stone, Balino.
Scratches: Northern Lion. Click for the brisnet.com chart or the brisnet.com PPs. VIDEO.
   Previously owned by Armachan Stable and Off The Hook LLC and trained by Antonio Sano, Falling Sky rolled in his Calder debut Nov. 1, then reported home a decent fourth in Tampa’s Inaugural S. Dec. 1. The bay got back on track with a sharp optional claiming tally at Gulfstream Dec. 15, then switched hands for a sale-topping $425,000 at the OBSJAN sale. Making his first start beyond 6 1/2 furlongs here, Falling Sky was hustled to the front from his outside post to lead through an opening quarter in :23.49 with Divine Ambition (Divine Park) glued to his flank. Challenged from every angle at the top of the stretch as Speak Logistics (High Cotton) was checked sharply along the inside, Falling Sky fought off all comers and had just enough left in the tank to get the money.