Doswell makes Fort Lauderdale first graded stakes win
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Doswell finished second despite getting trapped and steadied in traffic during the stretch run of the 2020 Fort Lauderdale. So trainer Barclay Tagg and jockey Junior Alvarado were taking no chances that history might repeat itself when Doswell came back for the 2021 edition of the Grade 2 turf fixture Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
Breaking from the rail, Doswell sped right to the lead under Alvarado and never looked back, becoming a graded stakes winner for the first time by registering a 1 1/2-length victory over Atone in the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale, the major local prep for the $1 million Pegasus Turf Invitational on Jan. 29.
Doswell, who finished third in the Grade 3 W.L. McKnight in his 2021 debut, rated kindly on the front end under Alvarado and had plenty left when engaged by Atone at the top of the stretch, dismissing his one and only challenger before edging away to his third victory in a dozen career starts. Atone made a steady run while wide on the second turn but could not sustain the rally while able to hold second money finishing a half-length better than fellow longshot English Bee.
Space Traveller and Analyze It, tepid co-choices at 3-1 in the 12-horse Fort Lauderdale field, finished fourth and fifth respectively while never serious factors.
Doswell is a 6-year-old homebred son of Giant’s Causeway owned by his breeder, Joseph Allen.
The originally posted final clocking of 1:47.99 was ultimately adjusted to an official time of 1:45.60. Doswell paid $11.
Tagg said the plan all along was to put Doswell on the lead.
“He doesn’t like being in a crowd,” Tagg said. “He had the inside and we thought if he got away good, just leave him there. And Junior (Alvarado) rode him super.”
Tagg said Doswell is a hard horse to train and has been a project over the years.
“Robin [assistant trainer Robin Smullen], has done a heck of a job with him. She rides him every day. She took him to the gate about eight or nine times and he tried to kill her a couple of times, but she got him all straightened out. He’s very sensible now. He’s been hard to get fit. He’s had a few problems and we had to give and take with him a lot. But he’s fit now and that’s why I felt kind of good about him today. Because we were finally able to train him hard into this race.”
Tagg said the Pegasus Turf will definitely be on the radar for Doswell’s next start.
Fearless wins Harlan's Holiday
Fearless, making his second start since finishing third in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special seven months ago, proved he’s back in peak form after drawing away to a convincing four-length victory over South Bend in the $100,000 Harlan’s Holiday, a prep for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational here on January 29.
Fearless, winner of the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile in February, finished a disappointing second as the even-money favorite in an overnight handicap on November 21, but was obviously primed for an improved performance in the Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday. With Luis Saez aboard for the first time since his maiden win two years earlier, Fearless raced well-placed behind the pace of Mighty Heart, advanced strongly while kept six wide into the stretch, readily took control from the tiring leader after six furlongs before drawing off with authority through the stretch. Second Bend was along to be second, 1 1/4 lengths in front of Mighty Heart.
Fearless, a 5-year-old Ghostzapper gelding owned by Repole Stables, gave Pletcher his second graded stakes win on the card. Final time for 1 1/16 miles over the fast track was 1:42.19. He paid $3.20.
“The plan came together perfect. I had a lot of horse at the three-eighths [pole]. That’s why I went early, because he’s a big horse and takes a little time to get going. He did it perfect,” Saez said.
Center Aisle takes Sugar Swirl
Center Aisle continued her winning ways while becoming a graded stakes winner for the first time in the process after withstanding a torrid pace duel before edging clear of even-money favorite Frank’s Rockette to register a one-length victory in the $100,000 Sugar Swirl.
Center Aisle, purchased out of the 2019 Fasig-Tipton March Sale held in the Gulfstream Park paddock, for $1.5 million by OXO Equine, won just one of six starts to launch her career before being transferred to trainer Paulo Lobo in June. She posted back-to-back allowance wins, at Keeneland and Chuchill Downs, to open the season earlier this fall before returning to Grade 3 competition in the Sugar Swirl.
Center Aisle prompted a very fast pace, an opening half-mile in 44.18 seconds, while kept outside rivals by Saez, who was aboard the regally bred filly for the first time on Saturday. Center Aisle stuck her head in front three-wide midway through the turn, then dug in gamely when engaged from inside by the multiple Grade 2 winner Frank’s Rockette in early stretch, ultimately edging away at the end.
Frank’s Rockette rushed up inside the leaders to contest the rapid pace following a bit of a slow beginning, dueled the winner on near-even terms for much of the stretch, before coming out second-best.
It was another five lengths farther back to third-place finisher Bronx Beauty, runner-up in the 2020 Sugar Swirl, who never menaced the top pair.
Center Aisle paid $6.20 as the second choice after covering six furlongs in 1:09.54.
“We got her in June with high expectations and she has been running really well,” trainer Paulo Lobo said. “I think she won her second start, at Churchill, easier than the first one and was really ready for this race, which has been our plan all along. I think the outside post position helped us, and having Saez on my side also helped very much.”
Lobo said he’d likely bring Center Aisle back in the Grade 2 Inside Information on Jan. 29.