Eclatant rallies to take Forward Gal Stakes
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - About 30 minutes after finishing second in the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes with the 8-5 favorite Tappan Street, trainer Brad Cox's disappointment was tempered when his promising fillies Eclatant and Stunner finished first and second respectively in the $165,000 Forward Gal Stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
The Grade 3 Forward Gal was the last of five stakes for 3-year-olds.
Both Eclatant and Stunner were turning back in distance after failing to live up to expectations when stretching to 1 1/16 miles in their juvenile finales. Eclatant finished a tiring third in the Grade 2 Golden Rod at Churchill Downs, and Stunner was second as the 1-5 favorite against Florida-breds in the My Dear Girl division of the Florida Sire Series.
Eclatant rallied from mid-pack in the seven-furlong Forward Gal, unleashing a steady rally outside horses on the turn before overtaking the leaders near midstretch to win by 1 1/4 lengths. She did so despite not switching off her left lead until approaching the wire.
Stunner prompted a rapid early pace set by the previously undefeated Rojo Rita, stuck her head in front between calls inside the eighth pole, but could not last. It was another length farther back to the tiring Queen’s M.G., who was making her first start since finishing third in the Tempted Stakes on Nov. 2.
Rojo Rita, a 16-length winner of her only previous start, finished a tiring sixth but was subsequently disqualified to last for swerving in and causing interference shortly after the start.
Eclatant gave her rider, Luis Saez, his fourth win on the card. A Stonestreet Stables homebred by Into Mischief, Eclatant completed the distance on a fast track in 1:23.61 seconds and paid $10.00. Eclatant was given an 80 Beyer Speed Figure.
“Shortening up in distance was probably the key for both fillies,” Cox said. “Obviously Stunner sat a good trip, perhaps the pace was a little hot, but I thought she put in a great effort. I kind of thought Eclatant would sit that kind of trip. I don’t know what to make of her race in the Golden Rod. I thought she sat a perfect trip that day. Obviously one turn might be her thing.”
Eclatant earned 20 qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks with her victory in the Forward Gal, while Stunner picked up 10 for finishing second.
Gate to Wire, who made his first four career starts either on turf or the synthetic Tapeta, showed his future may actually be on the main track after rallying to a one-sided, five-length victory over the speedy Macho Music in the $165,000 Swale Stakes. Gunmetal, a sensational winner of his only previous start, finished a disappointing and well-beaten third.
Gate to Wire, who is trained by Todd Pletcher for Donegal Racing, launched his career with a popular 1 3/4-length maiden special weight victory last summer over the turf at Saratoga. He closed out his 2-year-old campaign making two more starts on grass, finishing second in the Grade 3 Futurity at Aqueduct before checking home 10th following a troubled trip in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Gate to Wire switched to the Tapeta track and ran fifth against entry-level allowance and optional claiming opposition to launch his 3-year-old campaign here last month. He was scheduled to run back against the same kind in his next start, but when the race didn’t fill, Pletcher opted to give the son of Munnings a chance on dirt in the seven-furlong Swale.
With Dylan Davis aboard for the first time, Gate to Wire raced well placed, tracking a lively pace set by Macho Music and prompted for five furlongs by Gunmetal and Grayscale, who had also captured his only prior start in impressive fashion here in mid-November. Gate to Wire circled widest commencing his bid into the stretch, readily overtook Macho Music after six furlongs and won going away.
Macho Music, racing with blinkers back on after a brief experiment without the equipment in the Mucho Macho Man, broke a bit slow from the rail, but recovered to set the pace along the inside. He readily disposed of his two early pursuers after five furlongs but proved no match for the winner. Gunmetal finished another four lengths farther back in third.
Gate to Wire (93 Beyer Speed Figure) completed the distance over a fast track in 1:22.51 seconds and paid $29.20.
“It unfolded really well,” Pletcher said. “It looked like he was traveling great down the backside, kind of just stalking the pacesetters. It looked like Dylan had a lot of horse. He pulled him out and he delivered.”
Pletcher said because Gate to Wire won his debut on grass and seemed to be training a little better over the surface, he kept him on the turf throughout his 2-year-old season.
“Five furlongs is probably a little too short for him,” Pletcher said. “The original plan was to run him back on short rest in an allowance race, it didn’t fill, so we figured let’s take a shot (in the Swale) while he was doing good. And it seems like these Munnings run on anything.”
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