Gulfstream Park: Mystic Love beats the boys in Dania Beach

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Mystic Love, the only filly in the field, slipped up the inside under a brilliant ride by Elvis Trujillo to upset even-money favorite Charming Kitten in Saturday’s $100,000 Dania Beach at Gulfstream Park.

Mystic Love, a 2-year-old daughter of Not For Love, rallied from the rear of the pack to win the 5 1/2-furlong Selima Stakes at Laurel prior to shipping to south Florida for the winter. The Dania Beach, at one mile on the turf, marked her first start beyond six furlongs.

Trujillo allowed Mystic Love to settle four lengths off the early pace set by Tate’s Landing. Mystic Love found ample room to assume command inside the tiring leader into the stretch, edged clear, then withstood a final surge from Charming Kitten.

Charming Kitten was forced to race wide throughout after breaking from the outside in a field of 10 2-year-olds, then surged late only to fall a half-length short. Newfound Zapper raced in close quarters near the inside down the backstretch then rallied belatedly finish another length farther back in third.

Mystic Love completed a mile in 1:38.81 over a course downgraded from firm to good earlier in the day. She paid $34.

Trainer Jessica Campitelli said she chose to run Mystic Love a mile against males rather than await the 1 1/16-mile Ginger Brew for 3-year-old fillies on New Year’s Day.

“We really believed in her but didn’t want to go a mile and one-sixteenth the first time going two turns,” said Campitelli. “Elvis gave her an excellent trip. He waited, he saved ground. He rode an excellent race.”

Campitelli trains Mystic Love in partnership with her husband, Francis Campitelli, who was the trainer of record for the filly when she won the Selima. He said Mystic Love would likely come back once again at a mile on the turf but against fillies in the $100,000 Sweetest Chant on Jan. 27.