A Bit Special has first stakes win in Sweetest Chant

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - A Bit Special showed she is a lot more than that by becoming a graded stakes winner for the first time with an impressive 2 1/2-length victory over the previously undefeated Regal Glory in Sunday’s $100,000 Sweetest Chant Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

But despite his filly becoming a Grade 3 winner while posting her fourth victory in five career starts, trainer Patrick Biancone wasn’t all smiles in the winner’s circle after the race.

“The only thing sad is that Romero is in the hospital,” said Biancone, referring to A Bit Special’s regular rider, Romero Maragh, who guided A Bit Special to her three previous wins. He missed out on a chance to ride her in the Sweetest Chant when he was seriously injured in a spill here earlier in the week.

“People ask me why I’m not smiling after the race," Biancone said. "It’s tough not having Romero here.”

Biancone selected Julien Leparoux to replace Maragh for the Sweetest Chant, and the veteran put up a flawless ride aboard A Bit Special. Leparoux put A Bit Special in perfect striking position over the speed-favoring inner turf course, from where the favorite readily overtook the early leader, Eyeinthesky, while racing between horses entering the stretch before drawing off with authority.

Regal Glory, forwardly placed from the outset, attempted to rally three wide with the winner turning for home but proved no match while finishing 1 3/4 lengths better than her stablemate La Feve. Both fillies are from the barn of trainer Chad Brown.

A Bit Special is an English-bred daughter of Mukhadram owned in partnership by Mrs M. V. and M.P. Magnier, and Linda Shanahan. She returned $6.60 as the favorite in a field of nine 3-year-old fillies.

“She’s a very, very special filly,” Biancone said. “She’s kind of a machine. The first two races today on the inside track front-runners won, so I told him (Leparoux) to get her out of there and hopefully somebody will cover you. She had no cover, but it didn’t bother her much. She kicked home just like when she comes from behind.”

Biancone said he will be in no hurry to bring A Bit Special back to the races.

“We spread her races two months by two months. We are in no rush.”

A Thread of Blue wins Dania Beach

A Thread of Blue was allowed to control the pace, much to the pleasure and surprise of trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, en route to an easy 3 1/2-length victory over Louder Than Bombs and nine other 3-year-olds in the $100,000 Dania Beach

With jockey Luis Saez aboard, A Thread of Blue set modest fractions of 23.36 and 47.66 for the opening half-mile, readily disposed of outsider Stirling Drive when set down into the stretch, quickly opened a comfortable advantage and was never menaced thereafter. Louder Than Bombs rallied belatedly along the rail, outfinishing Current by a half-length to be second-best while no threat to the winner.

The win was the second in a row for A Thread of Blue, who won a high-priced optional claiming and allowance race in similar front-running fashion six weeks ago. A son of Hard Spun owned by Leonard Green, A Thread of Blue completed one mile over a firm course in 1:34.96 and paid $6.20.

“I was a little worried about the eight (Ole Mole) having speed, but we broke alertly and they left us alone,” McLaughlin said. “We’ve always liked him and he obviously is liking Gulfstream, so we’ll probably stay on this turf and run back in a month.”

McLaughlin was referring to the Grade 3 Palm Beach on March 2.