Determinato pulls off 14-1 upset in Spectacular Bid

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Determinato rebounded off a poor effort to pull a 14-1 upset Saturday in the $100,000 Spectacular Bid Stakes at Gulfstream Park after stalking favored Gangsterontherun into defeat and holding on to win by 1 1/4 lengths.

Getting a perfect trip from his outside post, Determinato was making his first start since finishing 18 lengths back in the Nov. 13 Jack Price Juvenile at Calder. With Eibar Coa aboard, he began pulling away from Gangsterontherun after straightening for home in the six-furlong race, then was clear of a belated late run from Leave of Absence.

“We’ve always thought he was a nice horse,” said Larry Pilotti, who trains Determinato at Calder for owner Ron Marano. “Today he jumped up and showed it. Hopefully he’ll continue on his way.”

Determinato, a Florida-bred colt by Closing Argument, returned $30.60 after finishing in 1:11.13 over a fast main track. The Spectacular Bid victory was the second of his career, with perhaps his best previous effort coming in a runner-up finish in an Oct. 28 allowance at Calder.

Leave of Absence, the 2-1 second choice, finished 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Cane Garden Bay in the field of eight 3-year-olds, with Gangsterontherun, the 8-5 favorite, a nose back in fourth.

Marano has inherited the stable of horses previously owned by his father, Frank, who died last fall, about two weeks before the Price. In fact, the reason the colt raced in the Price “was because it was Frank’s birthday, and Ron thought it’d be nice to give it a shot, so we did,” said Pilotti. “We knew he might bounce off that big race.”

The best horse owned by the Maranos was U Can Do It, a foal of 1993 who earned more than $738,000 in her 46-race career.

With a race for 3-year-old sprinters having been scrapped from the Jan. 29 Florida Millions program, Pilotti said the Jan. 30 Hutcheson at Gulfstream is a possible next start for Determinato.