Miami Mile surface switch no problem for Grand Tito

Trainer Antonio Sano said there was never a question in his mind he would run Grand Tito in Saturday’s $100,000 Miami Mile Handicap at Calder, even after the race was switched from the turf to the dirt due to two days of heavy in the south Florida area. And Sano’s decision to keep his turf specialist in the race paid dividends after Grand Tito rallied from just off the pace to a three-quarter length victory over fellow longshot Midnight Cello.

The Miami Mile not only lost its star attraction, defending champion Summer Front, but also its Grade 3 status by virtue of the surface switch until being reviewed by the Graded Stakes Committee.

Grand Tito ($31.40) has made 11 of his 14 previous career starts and posted three of his four victories on the grass. His lone main track win came in a mid-level optional claiming race that had also been moved from the turf to the dirt last fall at Gulfstream Park.

With jockey Santiago Gonzalez aboard for the first time, Grand Tito stalked the pace of Decisive Moment, took control in early stretch then held off Midnight Cello despite drifting badly through the final sixteenth of a mile. Midnight Cello, runner-up in the Tropical Park Derby in his 3-year-old finale, rallied to close contention near the eighth pole, angled inside the drifting leader to continue his bid, but was not good enough.

Csaba, one of two horses entered in the Miami Mile for main track only along with Flatter This, moved within easy striking distance turning for home but failed to sustain his bid, finishing another three-quarters of a length farther back in third.

Hey Leroy, made the 8-5 favorite despite have won just once in 10 previous main track starts, bore out badly on the opening turn and was never a factor thereafter, beating only one horse in the 11- horse field, Buffalo, who ran off in the post parade prior to the race.

Grand Tito, a 4-year-old son of Candy Ride, is trained by Sano for the Grupo 7C Racing Stable. He completed the distance in 1:38.60 over a good track and paid $31.40.

“I’m not surprised he ran so well. I liked the horse today,” said Sano. “He had a big problem in his last race on the turf and he only got beat a few lengths. I knew if he got a clean trip this time he would win. My preference for him will still be the turf, but if there are no grass races for him, I’ll run him again on the dirt.”