Go Between goes inside to win Palm Beach Stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Go Between slipped through an opening along the rail and outfinished 6-5 favorite Up an Octave to post a neck victory in Sunday's $100,000 at Gulfstream Park.

With Edgar Prado aboard, Go Between saved ground while racing just behind early pacesetters Diabolical and Mr. Silver. Prado waited patiently for clearance as the field turned into the stretch then drove Go Between through an opening inside Diabolical at the head of the stretch. Go Between forged clear approaching the eighth pole then maintained a narrow s advantage over Up an Octave through the final furlong.

Up an Octave raced lapped on Go Between while well placed through the opening six furlongs of the Grade 3 Palm Beach but lost some momentum coming off the turn after swinging three wide to launch his bid into the stretch. Up an Octave continued willingly once finally straightening away for the drive but could not get to the winner in the final furlong.

Devil's Preacher broke slow but was going best of all down the middle of the course at the end. Diabolical held a short advantage into the stretch but weakened late and finished fourth while making his first start since Nov. 19. Mr. Silver, Lord of Midnight and Musc From Heaven rounded out the complete order of finish.

Go Between, a homebred son of Point Given trained by Bill Mott for owner Peter Vegso, entered the Palm Beach off a maiden win earlier in the meet. He covered a mile and one eighth in 1:45.94 seconds over a firm course and paid $12.00.

"Obviously this was a big step up going from a maiden win right into a graded stakes but I think Bill had a lot of confidence in him and felt he truly belonged here," said Mott's Gulfstream based assistant Ken McCarthy. "He still looks like he might have a few things to learn, he was kind of trying to run up on the leaders a little bit, but Edgar said when the hole opened up he had a lot of acceleration."