Gulfstream Park: Lea has big plans following Donn Handicap victory

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Lea served notice that he’ll be a force to reckon with in the handicap division for the remainder of the season with his dazzling 1 1/2-length victory over Eclipse Award winner Will Take Charge in Sunday’s Grade 1 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park.

Lea received a career-best 114 Beyer Speed Figure after completing 1 1/8 miles in a track-record 1:46.86 over a fast track Sunday. The clocking easily eclipsed the old track record of 1:47.49 set by Quality Road four years earlier.

The win was the second of the meet for Lea and his second since being transferred to trainer Bill Mott’s barn in November. He also captured the one-mile, Grade 3 Hal’s Hope here last month. Lea was a Grade 3 winner on grass earlier in his career.

Mott said Monday that Lea came out of the Donn in good order.

“He looks great this morning,” Mott said. “What can you say about the race? It was just a spectacular effort. I thought he was going into it well and had run well over the track, although we were going against the 3-year-old champ last year and a good, solid field. But when all was said and done, he came out the winner and looked very good doing it.”

Mott mentioned the Met Mile and Whitney as two very likely goals for Lea looking down the road.

“The Whitney is a logical choice, and we have a very strong inclination to try the Met Mile,” Mott said. “We probably want to put those two races on his dance card. With the purses they’re offering and the prestige associated with both races, I think those two would be the most important races for this horse moving forward over the next six months.”

Mott had a big weekend. Aside from winning the Donn, he also sent out Amira’s Prince to finish third in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap off a 10-month layoff and Riposte to finish second in her U.S. debut Saturday in the Grade 3 Suwannee River.

“I thought Amira’s Prince ran good, was a little rank early, then stayed even,” Mott said. “He really didn’t kick on. I was pleased with his effort.”

[Clocker Reports: Get Mike Welsch’s clocker reports from Gulfstream Park and Palm Meadows]

Mott also was happy with Riposte’s performance in the Suwannee River considering it was her first race going as short as 1 1/8 miles.

“I thought she finished well in a paceless race,” Mott said. “I don’t think we’ll be that quick to stretch this filly out, either. I’m not saying I wouldn’t, but I like the distance for her. I think a different track, a different pace scenario, I think she can be very effective at nine or 10 furlongs.”

Will Take Charge came out of the Donn in good order, according to trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who said the horse likely will make his next start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 8. Lukas was pleased with Will Take Charge’s performance, even in defeat, with the Donn being his first start since capturing the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs in November.

The 111 Beyer that Will Take Charge received Sunday was just a point lower than his career best, earned for his second-place finish behind Mucho Macho Man in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

“I thought our horse ran really well,” Lukas said. “We just couldn’t shake loose from that convoy down the backstretch soon enough. I thought the track was really speed-favoring, and not to downplay anything about the winner, because he was terrific, but he got a perfect trip, and we didn’t.”

Revolutionary was a major disappointment in the Donn, finishing seventh under Javier Castellano, beaten about 20 lengths. The outing was the second after returning from a long layoff for Revolutionary, a Grade 2 winner who finished third in the 2013 Kentucky Derby.

“He seemed to come back in good order,” trainer Todd Pletcher said Monday. “Javier said when [Revolutionary] went to the first turn, he started climbing a bit from the dirt hitting him in the face, so he maneuvered out away from the dirt, but when he asked, he just didn’t respond like he should.

“I don’t think the racetrack he ran on yesterday suited him that well, being a one-run closer on a track playing more to speed recently. It was playing a little bit differently than it was when he ran and won here the first time last month.”

Pletcher said he had nothing specific picked out for Revolutionary’s next start.

“We’ll regroup and then come up with a plan,” he said.

– additional reporting by Marty McGee