All Included gets his trip in Appleton Stakes
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Javier Castellano has learned over time how All Included prefers to be ridden, and on Saturday he gave the 6-year-old the exact trip he wanted, rallying from last to win the Grade 2, $200,000 Appleton Stakes by a half-length at Gulfstream Park.
Castellano kept All Included in reserve and in behind horses early, guided him five wide turning for home, and the pair outfinished Delta Prince to win by a half-length. It was another length back to Our Way in third. He was followed, in order, by Siding Spring, My Point Exactly, and Diamond Bachelor. Market Outlook scratched.
The win was the fifth from 17 career starts for All Included, and his first in a stakes race. He had previously been 0 for 9 in stakes.
Castellano felt he had made some mistakes on All Included in the past, having been more aggressive earlier in a race and trying to split horses. Saturday, he kept All Included in last as Siding Spring ran an opening half-mile in 46.29 seconds and six furlongs in 1:09.73 while being prompted by Diamond Bachelor.
Delta Prince, the half-brother to Royal Delta who was making his stakes debut, received a beautiful trip under Jose Ortiz and struck the front in midstretch.
All Included, owned by brothers Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, covered the mile in 1:33.12 and returned $4.20 as the even-money favorite.
“He’s a better horse if you take your time and make him go around horses," Castellano said. "He gives you a good kick the last part. I made a couple of mistakes in the past. I was too close to the pace, tried to split horses and be aggressive. He’s the kind of horse, let him settle and find the best route for him.”
Trainer Todd Pletcher said the trip went pretty much how he and Castellano mapped it out.
“We didn’t necessarily want to be last, it was more about trying to save some ground on the first turn and try to give him plenty of time on the far turn,” Pletcher said. “I said if you have to lose a little ground to get his momentum going, go ahead.”
Pletcher said All Included would likely remain in Florida and point to the Grade 3, $100,000 Miami Mile at Gulfstream on April 29.