Lady’s Island wins Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint on sloppy main track

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – No turf, no Pay Any Price, no problem for trainer Georgina Baxter and the ownership team of Averill Racing and Matties Racing, who instead sent out their main-track-only entrant, Lady’s Island, to a popular two-length victory over Mr French in Saturday’s $75,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint at Gulfstream Park.

Heavy downpours during the races Friday and again Saturday morning forced management to move the five-furlong Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint to a sloppy main track. Exit turf specialist Pay Any Price, who had captured the last two renewals of race, and enter Lady’s Island, who had won five of her eight previous starts over wet racetracks, including the Nicole’s Dream overnight stakes by nine lengths on June 9.

With Emisael Jaramillo aboard, Lady’s Island quickly sprinted clear, as expected, and set a relatively lively pace considering the conditions, an opening quarter in 22.27 seconds and a half in 44.87. Lady’s Island settled into the stretch with a clear lead, eased out toward the middle of the track for the drive and maintained a comfortable advantage under steady urging to the end.

Mr French, who has found a home on grass of late but owns two wins and two seconds from five wet-track opportunities during his career, saved ground while kept within easy striking distance but was unable to seriously menace the winner through the final furlong while easily second-best, finishing 2 1/4 lengths in front of Soldollie.

Lady’s Island, a 5-year-old Florida-bred daughter of Greatness, was claimed by her present owners for $16,000 here one year ago. She has won six of her eight subsequent starts while also finishing second behind local division leader Stormy Embrace in the Musical Romance Stakes on May 10.

Lady’s Island completed five furlongs in 57.22 and paid $4.40.

“It was Rich’s idea to put her in,” said Baxter, referring to co-owner Richard Averill. “And she was a super sub. She’s just thriving on racing now, growing bigger and more muscular all the time. Although it was kind of bittersweet because Pay Any Price was training unbelievable coming into this race, way better than he has in a long time, and it would have been nice to have won the race with him for a third time.”

Averill echoed Baxter’s sentiments.

“We really wanted Pay Any Price to run; we really wanted to go for three in a row in this race, but we’re not complaining about the win since it is the same partnership group,” said Averill. “We thought he was going to run one of the best races of his life, the way he’d been training. But she’s a good girl, man. She’s awesome. I had my eye on her since the first time I saw her run at Tampa, and I told my partners when she ran here for the tag last year, ‘I’m claiming her, and you’re going in with me.’ ”

Averill said options for Pay Any Price include stakes races at Del Mar, Colonial Downs, or Saratoga.

“We’re still trying to get him to the Breeders’ Cup again this year if we can,” said Averill. “There’s really nothing else here for him coming up. I’d really love to go to Saratoga with him, but I don’t want to run against World of Trouble. At least not now.”