Grand Sonata, Opalina rally to win turf stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A pair of Grade 3 turf races for 3-year-olds were among the lead-in events on a busy 12-race Holy Bull card Saturday at Gulfstream Park. Both the $100,000 Kitten’s Joy and $100,000 Sweetest Chant were run at 1 1/16 miles over a firm course.

Kitten’s Joy

Albeit at something of a different level, Todd Pletcher matched one of his notable feats from last weekend at Gulfstream by sending out Grand Sonata and Royal Spirit to run one-two in the 11th Kitten’s Joy. Last Saturday, the Hall of Fame trainer went one-two in the Pegasus World Cup Turf for the second straight year when Colonel Liam collared stablemate Never Surprised in the Grade 1 race.

Grand Sonata ($13.60) emerged from mid-pack in a field of eight 3-year-old colts to sweep past Royal Spirit in the desperate final yards to prevail by a neck in 1:41.53, as the front-running 9-5 favorite Coinage faded to third.

Grand Sonata was given a Beyer Speed Figure of 79.

Tyler Gaffalione was aboard the winner, a homebred Medaglia d’Oro colt owned by Mandy Pope of Whisper Hill Farm. Grand Sonata now has won three of five starts.

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The fractions set by Coinage “were pretty modest, and I thought both of our horses were in good spots,” said Pletcher.

“I thought Royal Spirit might have it for a second, but (Grand Sonata) has a big turn of foot and Tyler knows that,” Pletcher said.

Grand Sonata returned to the winner’s circle bleeding from a vertical slice on the inside of his right foreleg, but Pletcher said he believed the cut to be superficial and the colt should have plenty of time to recover for the next race in this division, the March 5 Palm Beach going one mile.

Grand Sonata was coming off a head defeat in the Dec. 3 Pulpit to Red Danger, who was never a threat in this race and finished fifth. At his odds of nearly 6-1, “I thought he was a little bit overlooked today because all of his turf races have been good,” said Pletcher of Grand Sonata.

Sweetest Chant

Some 90 minutes later, Opalina ($10.60) got an ideal off-the-pace trip under Luis Saez and rallied boldly to win the 25th Sweetest Chant, filly half of the turf twins, thereby reversing a disappointing last start in the Jan. 1 Ginger Brew.

“This time she was perfect in the receiving barn and the paddock, everything,” said Roderick Rodriguez, who trains the Florida-bred daughter of Optimizer for Teneri Farm and J Stables LLC. “I felt good with Luis on the turn because I knew he would keep her going.”

Opalina took over at the furlong grounds before holding on by three-quarters of a length over late-running Ambitieuse, with Miss You Ella another 1 1/4 lengths back in a field of nine fillies. Opalina, the co-second choice amid a wagering scramble that had the top six favorites between 4-1 and 6-1, finished in 1:41.56 and was given a Beyer Speed Figure of 78.

Opalina was even-money in the Ginger Brew when making her first start in 10 weeks. She wasn’t as settled as normal, said Rodriguez, neither before or during the race, and she faded to third.

Rodriguez, a trainer off-and-on for more than 30 years, has been instrumental in the development of a number of graded winners, including Mind Your Biscuits, Off the Tracks, and Tommy Macho. Opalina, now a two-time winner from six starts, can be expected back for the one-mile Herecomesthebride on the March 5 Fountain of Youth card.