Malibu Pro wins John Bullit Stakes by disqualification

A year ago at Canterbury Park, Malibu Pro ran in a $12,500 non-winners-of-two claimer. On Friday night, he won a stakes race on closing weekend of the 2017 meet.

Malibu Pro crossed the finish second by a nose in the $50,000 John Bullit Stakes, but first-place finisher Way Striking was disqualified and placed second for interference in the homestretch. The stewards’ ruling appeared to be justified. No contact was made, but Way Striking and jockey Orlando Mojica drifted seven or eight paths in the homestretch, and Malibu Pro, who was on his flank, was herded outward. Jareth Loveberry, who lodged an objection, became unbalanced in the saddle aboard Malibu Pro when Way Striking made one final lurch toward the outside fence.

The top two were much the best. Malibu Pro finished 10 1/2 lengths ahead of third-place High Security. The winning time for 1 1/16 miles on a fast main track was 1:43.28. Malibu Pro paid $17.80 to win.

Trained by Mac Robertson for the Novogratz Racing Stable, Malibu Pro is a 4-year-old homebred gelding by Malibu Moon out of Pro Pink, by Touch Gold.

Malibu Pro spent much of 2016 as a turf sprinter, and not a very successful one, but Robertson shifted the gelding to dirt routes this season, and Malibu Pro liked the change. He made his stakes debut Aug. 26 in the Brooks Fields Stakes, finished third, and probably would have caught Way Striking on Friday night had his path been unimpeded.

Way Striking, pushed mildly by High Security, set splits of 24.12 seconds and 47.39 as Malibu Pro tracked from fourth, then third, then second into the homestretch. Way Striking, the 6-5 favorite, ran hard but could not keep a straight line, which wound up costing him his win.