Layoff the only obstacle for Sum of Success in Juvenile Sprint
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Sum of Success, the undisputed leader of the locally based 2-year-old division, will finally make his much-anticipated return following a 10-week absence when he goes postward the overwhelming favorite against five rivals Sunday at Gulfstream Park in the $75,000 Juvenile Stakes.
Sum of Success won his first three career starts by a combined margin of 24 1/4 lengths but has not raced since dominating the seven-furlong Express Tour by 5 1/4 lengths on Sept. 5. He did so despite being allowed to coast to the wire through the final sixteenth of a mile by his regular rider Jonathan Ocasio with the issue no longer in doubt.
“He was a little bit snotty going into his last race but had no fever, although we did see something brewing,” said trainer Bob Dibona. “He won convincingly but spiked a temperature and had some issues with his blood work after the race. I had to be careful with him and lost three weeks of training after that, but he’s doing terrific now. His work last Saturday couldn’t have been better.”
With Ocasio aboard, Sum of Success, who also won the In Summation Stakes by 11 1/2 lengths earlier this summer, zipped five furlongs from the gate in 59.10 seconds per Daily Racing Form. Posting lively splits of 22.68 seconds and 34.03 for the opening three furlongs while readily pulling away from an overmatched maiden mate through the final quarter-mile.
“I asked Jonathan what he thought of the work on a scale of one to five when he returned to the barn and he said five,” Dibona said. “I wish I had time to get one more breeze into him, although as good as that work was, and against this field, I think we’re ready to go.”
Dibona said he believes Sum of Success can be something special, although he does admit there is some pressure training an undefeated and yet untested horse of his potential.
“I brought him along gradually, a furlong at a time. First five furlongs, then six and seven,” said Dibona. “Although his breeding says probably not, we in the barn think he can eventually go two turns, at least a one-turn mile. There is a mile race coming up in two weeks, and if he runs like we expect on Saturday and comes back dancing, we could take a shot since it would then give us a month to get him ready for the Mucho Macho Man.”
The one-mile Mucho Macho Man, traditionally run as the first major stakes for 3-year-olds here each winter, will instead be carded for 2-year-olds, on Dec. 26, during the upcoming Championship meet.
Sum of Success is the only multiple winner in the field for the six-furlong Juvenile Sprint. His five lesser-accomplished rivals include Ford Roadster, Mane Affair, Spicy Taco, Real Gone, and Mitts.
Ford Roadster is stakes-placed, having finished second in the five-furlong Hollywood Beach on the turf on Sept. 26. He will return to the main track for the first time since capturing his career debut in game fashion going 4 1/2 furlongs for trainer Ramon Minguet on April 26.
Real Gone and Mane Affair earned Beyer Speed Figures of 75 each winning their respective maidens earlier this season. Real Gone came back off his 8 1/2-length victory here on Aug. 22 to ship to Churchill Downs, where he turned in a respectable fifth-place finish stretching to a mile in the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes.
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