Late-blooming Endorsed upsets odds-on Charge It in Gulfstream Mile
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Talk about getting better with age.
It took Endorsed until the first start of his 6-year-old campaign to finally become a graded stakes winner when rallying to a convincing 2 3/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Fred Hooper here on Jan. 28. It took him only five more weeks to become a graded stakes winner for the second time after the veteran parlayed a perfect trip into a 1 1/2-length triumph over the 3-5 Charge It in Saturday’s $200,000 Gulfstream Park Mile.
With Tyler Gaffalione back aboard after missing the Hooper, Endorsed stalked the early pace of Octane racing three wide out in arguably the better footing while lapped on Charge It from the outset. Charge It stuck his head in front approaching the quarter pole but Endorsed had dead aim on the favorite and readily edged clear upon settling into the stretch before maintaining a safe advantage under vigorous urging.
Charge It, making just his second start since a 23-length triumph in the Grade 3 Dwyer nine months earlier, prompted the issue from the outset, held a short advantage after six furlongs but could not match strides with the winner down the stretch. He was easily second best, finishing 1 3/4 lengths in front of Simplification, who rallied mildly down the center of the track to be third.
Endorsed, a son of Medaglia d’Oro, is trained by Mike Maker for owner Mark Breen. He completed the distance over a fast track in 1:35.25 (101 Beyer Speed Figure) and paid $13.80 while increasing his lifetime earnings to $956,633.
“It looked like he was traveling well the whole race, in perfect position, and when the time came, he dug in,” said Maker. “I think he really likes it here. He had a good winter here last year. He was fourth in the Pegasus and that wasn’t his perfect distance. It’s all coming together now.”
Maker said he has nothing picked out for Endorsed’s next start but said he would love to get a Grade 1 win on his résumé while mentioning the Carter at Aqueduct on April 8 as a possible option.
Trainer Todd Pletcher said Charge It, who was making only his seventh career start in the Gulfstream Park Mile, was “still kind of figuring things out.”
“Luis [Saez] said he ran well,” Pletcher continued. “He was kind of under pressure most of the way and got a little bit intimidated. When Luis pulled him out, the horse surged a little bit again and he was still a little bit green.”
Pletcher said the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap on April 22 is still likely the next stop for Charge It with the Met Mile the first major goal on his calendar later in the year.
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