Longshots Saraguaro, Moment of Delight prevail in Saturday stakes

Long prices came home in the two $150,000 Florida-bred and -sired 3-year-old stakes Saturday at Gulfstream Park, with Saraguaro winning the Foolish Pleasure Stakes at 19-1 and Moment of Delight coming home at 13-1 in the Meadow Star Stakes.

Saraguaro ($40.60) had won just one of his eight previous starts coming into the Foolish Pleasure, and his previous two-turn experience had produced a fifth-place finish and no finish at all, with Saraguaro falling during his most recent route race. But under Eddie Castro, he made a sustained move from midpack, reaching the pacesetting Sing Praises in midstretch, and wearing him down for a two-length victory. Sing Praises, the highest-placed of three Stanley Gold-trained horses in the field, went a good pace in the Foolish Pleasure, passing the half-mile in 47.18 seconds, and he finished well to be a clear second, four lengths ahead of the Gold-trained Southern Barbecue.

Saraguaro, by Express Tour, ran 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:44.36. Saffie Joseph Jr. trains him for the Thoroughbred Acquisitions Group and Saffie Joseph.

Moment of Delight was an even easier winner of the Meadow Star for jockey Juan Leyva, trainer Bill Kaplan, and owners Pinnacle Racing Stable and Norman Stables. Leyva kept the pressure on the odds-on favorite Dogwood Trail from the six-furlong pole on, making the stretch-out sprinter test her stamina, and after a solid pace (47.73 for the half and 1:11.53 for six furlongs), Dogwood Trail gave way. Moment of Delight ran out to a six-length win, with Dogwood Trail just holding second over Holywell.

The winner, by A. P. Warrior, ran 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:44.57 and paid $28 to win.