Gibberish burns So Darn Hot in Turnback the Alarm Handicap
Gibberish won the most significant race of her career Saturday when she darted to a 3 3/4-length victory over So Darn Hot in the Grade 3, $150,000 Turnback the Alarm Handicap at Belmont Park.
It was another five lengths back in third to Jilted Bride.
The Turnback the Alarm was a 1 1/8-mile race for fillies and mares. Miss Marissa was the 2-5 favorite and 122-pound highweight and, after setting the pace, she finished fourth.
The stakes was the first of four on the card, with the races worth a total of $550,000.
Gibberish ($8.20) won her first graded stakes in the Turnback the Alarm. She settled just off the pace in third as Miss Marissa set fractions of 23.56 for the opening quarter and the half-mile in 47.22. Gibberish joined Miss Marissa through six furlongs in 1:12.29, took sole possession of the lead into the stretch, and went on to cover the distance on a fast track in 1:51.93.
Dylan Davis was aboard the winner for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.
“I just wanted to come out running and not give an easy lead to Miss Marissa,” Davis told the press office at Belmont. “I saw [Firing Carol] was getting more engaged, so I was able to back off since she was doing a little more of the dirty work for me.
“[Gibberish] is a big, nice-moving filly. She got to the turn and the half-mile pole and started picking up her stride. I didn’t want to fight with her too much. If you start fighting with her, she tends to back off, just looking at her replays. I let her run until the turn there and once we got in the stretch, she got her stride going even more and she was determined to get to the wire.”
Gibberish is a daughter of Lea who races for e Five Thoroughbreds. She has won 5 of 14 starts for earnings of $340,010. Gibberish’s other career stakes win came in the Treasure Chest at Delta Downs.
Somelikeithotbrown repeats in Mohawk
Somelikeithotbrown won the $200,000 Mohawk for the second year in a row, when he set the pace and fought off challengers for a half-length win over Sanctuary City.
It was another 2 1/2 lengths back in third to City Man.
The Mohawk was a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds and up bred in New York.
Somelikeithotbrown ($3) took the field through fractions of 24.23 seconds for the opening quarter, 49.15 for the half-mile and 1:13.69 for six furlongs before covering the distance on firm ground in 1:42.39.
Jorge Vargas Jr. was aboard for trainer Mike Maker.
“He was traveling easily throughout,” Vargas told the press office at Belmont. “When they got to me I asked a little bit and he jumped on them right away. When it was time to run he fought to the end.
“He’s a nice horse. Nice horses make multiple moves. They know what they’re capable of, and that’s what he does. He still had something left. I could barely pull him up, he was feeling so good.”
Somelikeithotbrown is a multiple Grade 2-winning son of Big Brown. He has now won 8 of 23 starts for earnings of $1,189,338. Somelikeithotbrown races for Skychai Racing and David Koenig.
* Mischievous Kiss ($16.20) won the $100,000 Chelsey Flower in her first start against winners, rallying for a half-length victory over Caironi. The race was for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on turf. Mischievous Kiss covered the distance in 1:42.89. Eric Cancel was aboard the daughter of Into Mischief for Carl F. Pollard and Bill Mott. Mischievous Kiss is now 2 for 3 for earnings of $116,500.
* Mystic Eyes ($5.20) set a quick pace and held off a late run from Hot Fudge to win the $100,000 Stewart Manor for 2-year-old fillies. The winner covered six furlongs on turf in 1:09.97. Manny Franco was aboard Mystic Eyes, a daughter of Maclean’s Music, for trainer Todd Pletcher. She is owned by MeB Racing Stables and Vincent Esopi.