Gulfstream Park: Heart Stealer rebounds to win Inside Information

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Marty Wolfson thought Heart Stealer was good enough to beat Groupie Doll going into the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie earlier in the meet. And he’s still a bit puzzled as to why she ran so poorly, finishing a well-beaten fifth behind the two-time champion that day.

But Heart Stealer rebounded from her poorest effort since joining Wolfson’s barn last fall with arguably her best, a convincing two-length victory over stablemate My Pal Chrisy in Saturday’s Grade 2 Inside Information at Gulfstream Park. Wolfson failed to sweep the top three spots in the race when Centrique, the 7-5 favorite, faded late to be fifth following a slow start.

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Heart Stealer, ridden by Joel Rosario for the first time in the seven-furlong Inside Information, broke alertly then rated several lengths off the early pace set by Five Star Momma and attended by Wildcat Lily. Heart Stealer rallied three wide entering the stretch, overtook the leaders nearing the eighth pole, and gradually edged away.

My Pal Chrisy, racing a bit closer than expected while saving ground, angled wide for clearance entering the stretch and finished well to be second best. Centrique broke slowly, moved to contention while widest approaching the stretch, but could not sustain the bid, suffering her first loss in four career starts at Gulfstream.

Heart Stealer, a 4-year-old daughter of Speightstown, is owned by Peachtree Stable. She completed the distance over a fast track in 1:22.57 and paid $11.80.

Heart Stealer won the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl in December before her poor race in the Hurricane Bertie.

“She wasn’t right for her last race, but since then she’s trained like she did before winning the Sugar Swirl,” said Wolfson. “I really thought she’d beat Groupie Doll that day, that’s how good I thought she was. She just wasn’t herself in that race. Really, she’s the best of all the fillies I have. Her last race just baffled me.”

Centrique was coming off a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie at Laurel, and Wolfson thought the trip to Maryland may have contributed to Centrique’s disappointing showing on Saturday.

"With the trip and everything to Maryland, she’s maybe knocked out a little bit, a little dull," he said.