Beautiful Lover up at the wire in La Prevoyante

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Ahead of the three Pegasus events Saturday at Gulfstream Park, a pair of longstanding Grade 3 races for older horses going 1 1/2 miles over firm turf provided contrasting results – Beautiful Lover captured the $150,000 La Prevoyante in a frantic four-way photo an hour before Abaan coasted home an easy winner in the $200,000 W.L. McKnight.

La Prevoyante

A “dream trip” under Joel Rosario is how trainer Christophe Clement accurately described what led to Beautiful Lover prevailing in a four-horse photo in the 52nd La Prevoyante.

Rosario saved ground through all three turns before angling out for the final furlong, with Beautiful Lover hitting peak stride just in time to collar the front-running favorite, Always Shopping, when having just enough left to hold off her fast-closing Clement stablemate, Sorrel, by a neck.

“It was a perfect trip,” said Rosario, who is widely expected to be named the Eclipse Award winner for top jockey of 2021. “I got a chance when we turned for home to come out, and that looks like it was the winning move right there.”

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Always Shopping, the 2021 La Prevoyante winner and the even-money favorite in this renewal, led all but the last few steps under Tyler Gaffalione. She finished just a head behind Sorrel and a neck before 25-1 shot Scarabea in a field of nine fillies and mares.

Beautiful Lover, a 6-year-old Florida-bred by Arch, returned $10.20 as second choice after finishing in 2:30.49 and earning an 89 Beyer Speed Figure. It was her fifth win from 16 overall starts and her second in an open stakes, following the 2019 Boiling Springs at Monmouth Park when she was still trained by Chad Brown.

This was a record sixth time Clement has won the La Prevoyante, his first coming in 1992 with Sardaniya. The top finishers could be rematched in the Orchid on the April 2 Florida Derby undercard.

W.L. McKnight

Rating kindly for Luis Saez when giving closest chase to King Cause through the first mile, Abaan took command with minimal urging on the final turn en route to going unchallenged the rest of the way in a two-length triumph in the 55th McKnight. The 5-year-old gelding returned $5 as favorite in a field of 12 older males after finishing in 2:29.53 and getting a 96 Beyer Speed Figure.

Abaan was coming off a front-running romp in the two-mile Allen Jerkens over the Gulfstream turf and “had really been training well since then,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He’s really come to hand.”

Abaan is owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Alex Daigneault, resulting in a crowded winner’s circle. The Kentucky-bred by Will Take Charge now has four wins and four seconds from 10 career starts.

“We got into a perfect spot,” said Saez, the leading rider at the current championship meet. “Everything worked out pretty great, like the plan. When we got to the top of the stretch, he just took off.”

Temple was no threat when up for second by three-quarters of a length over Media Blitz; they were among four starters from the Mike Maker barn. Sole Volante was fourth.

This was Pletcher’s fourth McKnight win, following Balto Star (2003), Divine Oath (2014), and Charming Kitten (2015). Abaan becomes a logical candidate for the Pan American on April 2.

* Between the two Grade 3 turf marathons, Wolfie’s Dynaghost ($43) held off 19-1 shot Journeyman in upsetting the $70,000 Carousel Club at a mile and 70 yards on Tapeta. Reylu Gutierrez was aboard the winner for Woodslane Farm and trainer Tom Albertrani. The $2 exacta returned $663.40.