4th-GP, $45,400, Alw (NW1X), Opt. Clm ($25,000), 1-31, 4yo/up, 6f, 1:08.87, ft.
ARMY MULE (c, 4, Friesan Fire–Crafty Toast, by Crafty Prospector) was making his first start since earning 'TDN Rising Star' status for an 8 1/2-length debut success at Belmont Park last April and overcame a sluggish dispatch to score with condescending ease Wednesday afternoon at Gulfstream Park. After bobbling slightly at the break, the Pennsylvania-bred quickly mustered at the fence beneath Javier Castellano and did not have to expend too much energy to get onto the leaders' heels before the field hit the turn. Taken a snug hold of from there, Army Mule was angled out into the three path at the apex of the bend, swept to the lead with better than a furlong to travel and was ridden out hands and heels to score by 7 1/2 lengths in slick time. “He's a special talent,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He broke a little slow, [being] a little rusty first time off the layoff, but recovered quickly and put himself in a beautiful spot and won impressively in a fast time and seemed to be doing it well in hand. We had a little time off after that race and started taking a conservative approach so hopefully the owner's patience will pay off down the road. The sky's the limit if he stays healthy.” The conditioner indicated he would likely shop around for a one-turn stakes for Army Mule's next appearance. A half-brother to Platinum Steel (Eddington), SP, $171,013; and to SP Special Ruth (Forest Camp), Army Mule costthe braintrust at David Scanlon's Scanlon Training & Sales just $35,000 at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton October sale, but made for a tremendous pinhooking success when hammering to Crupi's New Castle Farm for $825,000 at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. He worked an eighth of a mile in :10 flat at the auction's under-tack preview. The dam of a 2-year-old colt by the expatriated Old Fashioned, Crafty Toast was covered by both Imagining and Normandy Invasion last year. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $71,400. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-St. Elias Stable; B-Hope Hill Farm (PA); T-Todd A Pletcher.
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