Cowboy's Hero gets first stakes victory in Mecke

Cowboy’s Hero became a stakes winner Sunday at Gulfstream Park, rallying to a 1 3/4-length decision over War Giant in the $75,000 Mecke. Cowboy’s Hero also gave trainer Francisco D’Angelo his first stakes victory in the U.S.

Under regular rider Carlos Lugo, Cowboy’s Hero eased back from some tight quarters between horses around the opening bend, patiently awaited clearance behind War Giant approaching the stretch, slipped inside that rival to challenge turning for home and won going away.

War Giant rated kindly on the lead, drifted off the rail into the stretch and proved no match for the winner while never switching off his left lead and taking a somewhat erratic path at the end. He finished a half-length in front of the wide-running Ambassador Jim.

Driven by Thunder, the 3-5 favorite, raced forwardly into the stretch before faltering, finishing fourth in a field reduced to six following the scratches of key contenders Toughest ‘Ombre and Uno Emayo.

Cowboy’s Hero is a 6-year-old son of Cowboy Cal who came into the 1 1/16-mile Mecke with just two victories from 15 starts. He finished fifth in his only other stakes try, the Grade 3 Appleton, early this spring, shortly after which he was transferred to D’Angelo by owner Charlotte Racing Stable.

Cowboy’s Hero covered the distance over a firm turf course in 1:40.78 and paid $7.40.

“I’m very excited to win my first stakes in the United States,” said D’Angelo, 51, a former leading trainer in his native Venezuela who came to this country in 2015. “This is a good horse. After he went to the turf, he’s a different horse.”