Lasting Legacy finishes well in Mr. Prospector blowout

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The Grade 3 Mr. Prospector highlights Saturday’s card, with Lasting Legacy tuning up for the race with a sharp half-mile work in 47.89 seconds here Monday, his final quarter in 22.72, before galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.62 under Jacqueline Higgins, local assistant to trainer Bob Hess Jr.

Lasting Legacy, claimed for $80,000 on Oct. 9 at Keeneland, finished a wide-running ninth after drawing in off the also-eligible list and breaking from post 14 in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Lasting Legacy finished second, beaten a length by Diamond Oops, in the 2019 Mr. Prospector while stabled with trainer Jason Servis.

“Jacqueline was real pleased with the work this morning, and Paco [Lopez] will ride him,” Hess said. “I kind of liked breaking in the clear from the outside in the Breeders’ Cup, but he was head and head with the airplanes at the airport adjacent to the track, he was so wide on the turn. I think with a better post he could have been closer and picked up a check.”

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Hess, who sent out Swing West and Lenzi’s Lucky Lady to win races here over the weekend, has remained in California following the recent passing of his father, trainer Bob Hess Sr. He said he does plan to be in attendance Saturday for the Mr. Prospector.

The six-furlong Mr. Prospector drew 25 nominations, including defending champion Diamond Oops along with Firenze Fire and Mind Control, both of whom were scratched from the Grade 1 Cigar Mile due to sloppy track conditions at Aqueduct.