Crafty Collector gets up to post 61-1 upset in Cellars Shiraz
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Crafty Collector, a 3-year-old filly trained by Gerald Bennett, pulled off a 61-1 stunner in the $75,000 Cellars Shiraz Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Friday. Jockey Edwin Gonzalez found the perfect ground-saving trip on the longest shot in the race to run down Mischief in Motion and win by a length.
After the race, Micah Husbands, the jockey aboard third-place finisher Ramsey Pond, lodged an objection against Gonzalez and Crafty Collector, alleging interference entering the first turn. Though Ramsey Pond lost significant ground after getting squeezed to the rear of the field, the stewards did not change the order of finish.
If not for a sixth-place finish in the Ginger Punch last time out, Crafty Collector might have earned far more respect from bettors. In two starts on synthetic before that stakes defeat, she finished second by a neck in the Miss Gracie in July and won an allowance in August.
The Cellars Shiraz was the filly’s first turf start since her maiden victory in June, and she picked up right where she left off to earn her first stakes victory. She paid $124.60 to win, and the $1 exacta with 8-1 shot Mischief in Motion paid $429.10.
Breaking cleanly in the field of nine, 4-5 favorite Starship Impulsive was hustled to the front and took a short lead through an opening quarter-mile in 22.56, but she was hounded from the very beginning by 5-1 contender Phoenix of Wit. That rival took over on the backstretch and completed the half-mile in 45.89.
Starship Impulsive re-engaged along the rail near the far turn while Mischief in Motion made her move in the three path. While those three scrapped for position on the front end, Crafty Collector and Gonzalez were tucked in on the rail in fifth. Mischief in Motion shook clear of her two front-running rivals to lead by three lengths entering the stretch.
With the front-runners wilting and most of the closers spinning their wheels, Mischief in Motion seemed well on her way to a second stakes victory for trainer Mike Trombetta when Gonzalez angled his filly off the rail to give chase.
As soon as she advanced into second and set eyes on the leader, Crafty Collector looked more like a deserving favorite than the longest shot in the race. It didn’t take much urging from Gonzalez for her to reel in Mischief in Motion for a determined victory. She completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:39.64.
Ramsey Pond, who was forced to run from the back of the pack after getting squeezed in the run to the first turn, made up late ground to finish third for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. She finished 1 1/4 lengths behind Mischief in Motion.
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