HALLANDALE, BEACH, Fla. – Grand Sonata, whose career has been marked by narrow defeats in major races, broke a lengthy losing streak with a half-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 2, $205,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes at Gulfstream Park. It was Grand Sonata’s sixth victory from 34 starts. He had lost his 10 straight races and 17 of his last 18. But along the way, he suffered narrow defeats in runner-up finishes in the United Nations twice, Arlington Million, and Mac Diarmida among his nine career second-place finishes. “He’s one of those horses where you can’t be disappointed. He always shows up and runs hard, but he’s a length and a half away from $5 million or $6 million in earnings,” said Todd Pletcher, who trains the 7-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro for Amanda Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm. “Great to see him come back at 7 and perform the way he did.”  Pletcher said Grand Sonata got a freshening at Whisper Hill following his sixth-place finish in the Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland last October. Though 7 years old, Grand Sonata seemed to come back with fresh legs. :: Play Gulfstream Park with confidence! DRF Past Performances, Picks, and Clocker Reports are available now.  Tyler Gaffalione sent Grand Sonata away from the gate and then let him settle into third position behind Layabout and Echo Lane. Those two were heads apart through a mile in 1:35.79, with Grand Sonata 1 1/2 lengths off of that duo. Echo Lane, under Edwin Gonzalez, wrested the lead from Layabout in midstretch and looked like he could pull the upset at 11-1, but Grand Sonata kept charging and got up late. Echo Lane finished second by three-quarters of a length over Anegada. Layabout, the William McKnight winner last month and Mac Diarmida favorite, was fourth.  “Today, I took him off the pony and he was much sharper,” said Gaffalione, who was riding Grand Sonata for the 17th time. “He broke and he put himself into the race and he traveled like a winner the whole way.”  Grand Sonata covered the 1 3/8 miles on turf in 2:11.26 – just .39 seconds off the course record set by Stream of Gold in 2008 – and returned $14.20 to win. Grand Sonata was given a 94 Beyer Speed Figure. The Very One Though Just Basking finished seventh in her only turf start, trainer Ian Wilkes loved her chances heading into Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 The Very One Stakes going 1 3/8 miles on grass.  “Distance is her friend,” Wilkes said. “I loved her today because of the way she’s trained. I thought she was one of my best chances today. I was very excited about her.”  :: Get Gulfstream Park Clocker Reports from Mike Welsch and the Clocker Team. Available every race day.  In a race that appeared void of speed on paper, the The Very One actually set up quite well for Just Basking. Under Javier Castellano, she rallied from last to run down No Show Sammy Jo and win by a half-length. It was three-quarters of a length back to Dona Clota in third. Candy Quest, the 3-2 favorite, finished fourth. Just Basking was beaten four lengths in a second-level allowance last March going 1 1/16 miles on turf at Fair Grounds. In her only start since, she finished third in a one-mile allowance on dirt on Jan. 15. She worked three times on turf at Palm Meadows after that race.  Saturday, Gallant Greta, who two starts back rallied from last to be second in the Via Borghese Stakes, was on the lead under Luis Saez. She set fractions of 23.38 seconds for the quarter-mile, 47.32 for the half, and 1:12.16 for six furlongs. Just Basking was seven lengths back at that point.  No Show Sammy Jo, who won the Via Borghese but was seventh in the Grade 3 Christophe Clement last month, made the first move at the leaders and Just Basking followed. No Show Sammy Joe, under Jorge Ruiz, took control inside the eighth pole but couldn’t hold off the late run from Just Basking.  For Castellano, it was his third win on the card and second graded stakes. He also won the Grade 3 Canadian Turf on Tiz Dashing.  “I was kind of concerned there was not a lot of speed in the race, but I don’t want to change my style.” Castellano said. “I have to give credit to the horse the way he did it, the way he finished. It seemed to me the pace was decent, not too fast, and he was able to get to the horses and pass the horses and finish. The way he finished from the quarter pole to the wire, it was an amazing kick.” Just Basking, a daughter of Arrogate owned by Andrew Schwarz and Wendy Gilder Schwartz, covered the 1 3/8 miles in 2:11.31 (93 Beyer Speed Figure)  and returned $29.  “I was worried that Javier waited a little too long to get going, but that’s why he’s in the Hall of Fame and I’m still trying to get there,” Wilkes said.  Wilkes said he would likely wait to run Just Basking until the Grade 3, $350,000 Bewitch at Keeneland on April 24. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.