Gulfstream: Naples Bay ends career by winning Marshua's River

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla.- Naples Bay closed out her racing career in style Saturday at Gulfstream Park, rallying under a nifty ride by Joe Bravo to register a one-length victory over a game Somali Lemonade in the Grade 3 Marshua’s River Stakes.

Naples Bay hadn’t won a race since capturing the Grade 3 Noble Damsel at Belmont Park in September 2012. But after racing within perfect striking position off the early pace of Silverette, Naples Bay split rivals rallying into the stretch, gained command inside the eighth pole, and edged clear. Somali Lemonade stalked the pace three wide, moved to a short advantage once settling into the stretch but could not contain the winner. Angelica Zapata finished another head back in third.

Abaco, the 5-2 favorite was reserved early near the rear of the field, commenced her bid leaving the backstretch, came wide turning for home but lacked her usual closing burst of speed to finish fourth, a half- length behind Angelica Zapata.

Naples Bay ($15.20), a 6-year-old daughter of Giant’s Causeway, will be bred to Frankel later this season. She is owned by Edward A Cox Jr. and trained by Christophe Clement.

“It’s her last rodeo,” said Clement. “She’s a very nice filly and unfortunately she’s much better off on firm turf and this year we keep getting softer grass all the time. Today I was just hoping the rain would hold off. It worked out great and Joe gave her a great ride. This is what we call the last squeeze. She’s 6-years-old and we wish her the best of luck in her new career.”

Just Call Kenny springs 19-1 surprise in Spectacular Bid

Bravo came right back with another even more unlikely winner in the finale, guiding Just Call Kenny, the longest shot on the board at 19-1, to a 2 1/4-length victory over C. Zee in the $100,000 Spectacular Bid Stakes for 3-year-old colts and geldings.

Just Call Kenny ($41.80), a Virginia-bred son of Jump Start, moved swiftly to the tiring leaders leaving the turn, overtook Hollywood Talent near midstretch, and won going away. C Zee rallied mildly to easily be second, finishing three lengths in front of Hollywood Talent. Trail Blaze, the 6-5 favorite in a scratch- reduced field of six, raced wide and finished fourth following a bit of a slow start.

The win was the second in three starts for Just Call Kenny, who is trained by Patrick McBurney.

“Our plan was to get him back off horses and hope he picked up a little check here and Joe said he just took off when he asked him,” said McBurney. “There was an allowance race scheduled for today and we wanted to get a sprint allowance under his belt then stretch him out to a mile, but when the allowance didn’t fill for the second time we went in here and it really worked out well.”