Just One Time rallies past Four Graces in Inside Information

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Just One Time proved she can win outside of her native Pennsylvania and did so on a big stage - a graded stakes on Pegasus Day at Gulfstream Park - by rallying to a game three-quarter-length victory over Four Graces in Saturday’s $200,000 Inside Information.

Just One Time, a Pennsylvania-bred daughter of Not This Time, had captured four of her first five starts including two statebred stakes before being transferred to trainer Brad Cox’s barn last fall. But despite taking a big class jump into open Grade 2 company, and stretching to seven furlongs for the first time, she proved more than equal to the task.

Not This Time was a bit fractious in the gate, then settled near the rear of the 10-horse field, a half-dozen lengths off the early pace set by Dance d'Oro, and pressed by both Jakarta and A G Indy. Not This Time was forced to angle extremely wide commencing her bid into the stretch, before finishing strongly down the center of the course to best the more experienced and accomplished Four Graces.

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Four Graces, positioned just in front and inside the winner down the backstretch, finished willingly between rivals upon settling into the stretch, but proved no match for the winner. It was another 2 1/2 lengths farther back to the tiring Jakarta.

Just One Time was ridden to victory by Joel Rosario. She completed the distance in 1:23.81 over a fast track and paid $5.00. She was given an 89 Beyer Speed Figure.

"She was in a statebred program, but once you come out of that environment the waters are going to get deeper on our circuit, and she was able to swim," Cox said. "It was a solid group of fillies they put together on a big day of racing, a Grade 2, and she was able to pick it off. We would never have brought her if she hadn’t shown us what she’d shown us in the morning to get her here.”

Cox admitted he thought Just One Time was a bit farther back than he’d expected during the early stages of the race.

“I think that had to do with the time between races and being a little fractious in the gate,” Cox said. “Where she was on the track kind of seems like a spot horses kind of get to floundering and tire down the lane at this place. For her to be able to stay, especially going seven furlongs off a layoff, showed her determination and a little bit of class.”

Speaker's Corner wins Fred Hooper

Trainer Bill Mott said he’s still trying to decide whether Speaker’s Corner is a nine-furlong horse or a miler. The question may have been answered when Speaker’s Corner withstood a torrid pace duel before holding off the 6 -5 favorite Fearless to register a well-deserved 1 1/4-length victory in the $150,000 Fred Hooper.

Speaker’s Corner turned back to a mile in the Grade 3 Hooper following a series of races between 1 1/16 miles and 1 1/8 miles that included a second-place finish in the nine-furlong Discovery in his 3-year-old finale.

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With regular rider Junior Alvarado aboard, Speaker’s Corner was sent along out of the chute to control the early pace while prompted by Girolamo’s Attack down the backstretch. Speaker’s Corner turned back challenges by Girolamo’s Attack and his stablemate Officiating approaching the stretch, drew clear, then withstood a final bid from Fearless through the final furlong.

Fearless broke a step slow from his inside post, was hustled to race midpack in the opening quarter-mile, swung wide while commencing his rally on the final bend, continued to gain gradually on the leader down the stretch but could not make up the ground while easily second-best. It was another 9 1/2 lengths back at the wire to the tiring Officiating.

The Hooper was the fourth win in seven career starts for Speaker’s Corner, a Godolphin homebred by Street Sense. His final time for the mile was 1.35.26 seconds on the fast track, getting him a 102 Beyer Speed Figure. He paid $5.00.

“We didn’t know if we’d be on the lead, we really didn’t plan to be there, but the horse broke well, he was in between horses, and he (Alvarado) didn’t want to get jammed up, so he let him cruise on. And it worked out well. They took a little run at him around the turn, he was able to repel those horses, and he was good enough to hold off the late challenge of Fearless.”

"We’re trying to determine are we a miler, or a nine-furlong horse?" Mott said. "He got nine furlongs good in the Discovery, but we’ve got to figure out where he’s going to be best. Figure out what races to point to over the course of the year. I think right now he’s really good at a mile. I’ve never won the Met Mile. I’d love to win that race.”