Gulfstream: Tar Heel Mom turns the tables on Hour Glass in Harmony Lodge

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla.- Tar Heel Mom rebounded from one of the worst performances of her career to dominate Sunday’s $75,000 Harmony Lodge Handicap at Gulfstream Park.

Despite toting high weight of 123 pounds, Tar Heel Mom shook off early pace pressure from Bella Moneta before splashing to a 3 1/2-length victory over Hour Glass. The last time the pair met in the Grade 2 Vagrancy Handicap at Belmont Park on May 29T, Hour Glass defeated Tar Heel Mom by a half-length.

Tar Heel Mom won the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl early this past winter but had not started since finishing fourth, beaten more than a dozen lengths by Hilda’s Passion, in the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie on Feb. 13.

The Harmony Lodge was decided over a racetrack which turned from fast to sloppy within minutes after a heavy downpour soaked the area less than 30 minutes before post time for the feature. The six-furlong Harmony Lodge scratched down to just six starters when Erin Rose was taken out due to the wet track.

Tar Heel Mom, a 6-year-old daughter of Flatter, is owned by Alex Rankin and trained by Stanley Hough. She completed the distance in 1:09.97 and paid $4.

“She bled a little in her last start so we had to give her some time,” said Hough. “The sloppy track wasn’t a concern. She’s very honest and handles everything. We’ll take her to New York and see what comes up next.”