Gulfstream Park: Duff One shows promise in allowance win

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Harlan’s Holiday’s legacy got a boost earlier this week with the performance of one of his progeny, the promising 2-year-old filly Duff One, who rallied to an impressive allowance victory over the odds-on Ready to Act in Thursday’s ninth race. Joel Rosario was aboard.

Duff One, stakes placed this summer on the turf at Saratoga, is trained by Gary Contessa, who had a good run on the grass here last winter with the 3-year-old Rydilluc.

“Obviously, we’ve always liked her,” Contessa said. “You can see by the way we’ve placed her in stakes.”

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In her only start in a graded stakes, Duff One finished fifth in the Grade 3 Miss Grillo at Belmont in October. Contessa said she had a rough trip in that race, but that Duff One has been training “fantastic” since coming to Florida.

“She has an amazing stride on her – she really gobbles up the ground,” he said. “You just need to keep her in the clear. That was the only instruction I gave Rosario before the race – to keep her in the clear.”

Contessa said he’d likely look for a stakes for Duff One in late January or early February, which could put the Sweetest Chant on Jan. 26 on his radar.

◗ Defending riding champion Javier Castellano vaulted to the top of the standings after posting a three-bagger on Thursday’s card. Castellano moved one win ahead of Paco Lopez, who had held the lead since opening day.

◗ Suns Out Guns Out, who finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Marathon, was the last horse to work here Friday but turned in the morning’s bullet work for five furlongs. Trained by Dale Romans, he completed the distance from the half-mile pole to the mile mark in 59.13 seconds over a lightning-fast track.