Mattingly learns from early summer loss, rallies to Hollywood Beach victory
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Joe Orseno said he learned a valuable lesson after his Mattingly got involved in a suicidal speed duel and ultimately finished second as the odds-on favorite in Woodbine’s Victoria Stakes in his previous start early this summer. It was a lesson that ultimately led to Mattingly rating and rallying from off the pace to a 1 3/4-length victory over Okira Saturday at Gulfstream Park in the $65,000 Hollywood Beach Stakes.
The win was the fourth of the day for jockey Samy Camacho.
Mattingly led at every call to break his maiden here at second asking over the Tapeta course in June, after finishing second behind the now three-time stakes winner No Nay Mets after forcing the pace when launching his career on the turf five weeks earlier. He was sent postward as the 4-5 favorite against just three rivals in the 5 1/2-furlong Victoria at Woodbine, only to succumb to the filly Pipit after setting a hotly contested pace to midstretch.
Mattingly broke alertly under the red-hot Camacho then eased back about four lengths off the early pace of the speedy Esperon. Mattingly was sent up after the leader approaching the stretch, ducked out briefly at the head of the lane, readily gained command a furlong from the wire, came out again while clear of Okiro in late stretch then held sway under steady urging.
Okiro raced at the rear of the scratched-reduced field of five 2-year-olds until leaving the turn, lugged in some while racing on his left lead upon settling into the stretch, altered course briefly behind the winner a sixteenth from the wire, and could not seriously menace Mattingly thereafter while continuing willingly to be second-best.
Esperon finished a tiring third, followed by Prevent and El Principito.
A claim of foul by Okiro's rider against Mattingly for interference in the stretch was disallowed.
Mattingly is trained by Orseno for the partnership of Ironhorse Racing Stable and Harlow Stables. He completed 5 1/2 furlongs over the Tapeta course in 56.67 seconds and paid $5.00.
“When the Woodbine race scratched down to four we figured just go, he’s fast, and then he got stuck in a speed duel and set it up for a horse to come from behind,” Orseno said. “And I told the owners that’s not going to happen again. We’ve got to let the one (Esperon) and three (Prevent) go and sit off them. That’s the plan we took and it worked. I think he was avoiding (Esperon) when he came out a bit at the end. He’s never done anything like that before."
Orseno said Mattingly could have one more start, either on turf or Tapeta, before being freshened before his 3-year-old campaign.
“We think he’s a very talented 2-year-old with a big future,” Orseno said. “I’m not quite sure what we’ll do, but if something like this comes up again, especially against Florida-breds where he’d be running for the extra money, it would be a no-brainer.”
Baby Steps led at every call to register a 1 1/4-length decision over the slow-starting and unlucky Choose Joy in the $60,000 Starfish Bay Handicap for fillies and mares, which was also decided over the Tapeta track. Sol Hope finished third with David’s Rose, the 8-5 favorite, checking home fourth without ever seriously menacing the leaders.
Camacho guided Baby Steps, a 4-year-old daughter of Jimmy Creed, into the winner’s circle for trainer Jorge Delgado. Final time for 5 1/2 furlongs was 1:03.35. She paid $10.20.
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