Calibrachoa pays quick return for Repole, Pletcher in Gravesend

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Calibrachoa, going first time off a claim by Repole Stable and Todd Pletcher, ran down pacesetting entrymate Driven by Success in deep stretch to win Saturday’s 52nd running of the $65,000 Gravesend Stakes.

Claimed out of a win for $40,000 on Nov. 18, Calibrachoa ($5) earned back $39,000 in one fell swoop after rallying wide under David Cohen to catch Driven by Success and edge clear late by a length and a half.

“We didn’t want Calibrachoa and Driven by Success butting heads, so I told David to keep an eye on him and the others,” said Pletcher. “He settled into a good spot, tipped out wide and finished strongly. We’ll probably send him to the Toboggan [Jan. 22].”

Driven by Success broke alertly from the inside with Mike Luzzi, showed the way through fast fractions of 22.13 and 44.59 seconds and held on gamely to be clearly second best by 4 1/4 lengths over Endless Circle. The latter finished a non-threatening third as the 8-5 second choice.

Ju Jitsu Jax, Ravalo, Footcandles, and Jack On the Rocks completed the order of finish.

Calibrachoa, the lone 3-year-old in the field of seven, ran six furlongs in 1:08.85 on a fast inner track and improved to 5-3-1 from 11 career starts, as the third of four winners on the program for Cohen.