El Tigre Terrible rallies wide to win Real Good Deal Stakes
El Tigre Terrible lost turf stakes at Santa Anita in June and at Del Mar earlier this month because of traffic problems at pivotal times in the races.
There were no impediments in El Tigre Terrible’s path in Friday’s $125,500 Real Good Deal Stakes for 3-year-old California-breds on the main track at Del Mar.
Sent off favored, El Tigre Terrible ($4.20) stalked the pace for the first half-mile and was moved to the outside of rivals on the turn by jockey Flavien Prat for racing room. El Tigre Terrible rallied four wide to take the lead in the final furlong and pulled clear to win by 4 3/4 lengths.
El Tigre Terrible ran seven furlongs in 1:24.28 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 85.
“It almost looked like he was going to get in trouble again,” winning trainer Peter Miller said. “He finds trouble. He reminds me of me in high school.
“The horse ran really well.”
Rookie Mistake (7-2) closed from sixth in the final furlong to finish second, three-quarters of a length in front of 6-1 Lightning Fast.
Phantom Boss, Margot’s Boy, Clayton Delaney, and Let’s Rejoyce completed the order of finish. Let’s Rejoyce set an early pace of 22.51 seconds through the first quarter-mile and was within a half-length of temporary leader Margot’s Boy through a half-mile in 45.69.
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El Tigre Terrible has won 4 of 8 starts and earned $210,510 for Slam Dunk Racing and Michael Nentwig. A gelding by Smiling Tiger, El Tigre Terrible finished second by a half-length to stablemate She’s So Special in the Desert Code Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf on June 6 at Santa Anita, racing in traffic in early stretch.
In the Oceanside Stakes at a mile on turf here July 10, El Tigre Terible was bumped by rivals shortly after the start and raced in traffic in early stretch. He finished 11th of 12 as the 7-2 second choice.
Last fall, El Tigre Terrible won his stakes debut in the Speakeasy Stakes at 23-1 at five furlongs on turf at Santa Anita.