Coal Front regains winning form in Mr. Prospector

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Coal Front showed he’s back on top of his game after drawing away to a convincing 3 3/4-length victory over Heartwood and nine other over-matched rivals in Saturday’s $100,000 Mr. Prospector at Gulfstream Park.

Coal Front, a multiple graded stakes winner at 3, returned after a 13-month layoff to finish a distant and disappointing fifth in the Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap on Nov. 2 at Aqueduct. But with regular rider John Velazquez back aboard for the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector, Coal Front stalked the early pace of Kroy while racing three wide down the backstretch, took control after being jostled briefly by the drifting and tiring leader in early stretch before steadily extending his advantage under vigorous handling to the wire.

Heartwood raced forwardly placed and continued willingly to be second-best while never menacing the winner. He finished 1 3/4 lengths in front of the rail-skimming Storm Advisory, who slipped along the inside to loom dangerous turning for home before flattening out down the lane.

Coal Front is owned by the partnership of Robert LaPenta and Head of Plains Partners and trained by Todd Pletcher. He completed seven furlongs in 1:23.16 over the fast track and paid $5.20.

“We were happy when we drew the post that he did,” said Pletcher, referring to the fact Coal Front broke from the extreme outside in the 11-horse field.

“He drew the 1 post at Aqueduct going a demanding distance off a long layoff and got into a speed duel that day. The track was very deep and tiring. It can sometimes be hard to win under those scenarios, especially coming off a long layoff. We targeted this (race) since then. He’s trained as well we would have hoped he would have, in fact better than ever, and got the trip we wanted.“

Pletcher said he would not be averse to stretching Coal Front out next season, even though he’s yet to race beyond seven furlongs.

“The way he’s trained in the works leading up to this and even the way he relaxed today, finished and galloped out, I think he’s one to stretch out, Pletcher said. “We’ll have to see if it’s a mile or two turns, but we’ve got lots of options.”