Mindframe impresses with 13-length debut triumph

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Mindframe announced himself as a 3-year-old with a future with a 13 3/4-length debut victory Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Sitting fourth along the inside under Irad Ortiz Jr., Mindframe tipped out for the stretch and galloped away from his nine rivals for the monster score over One Sharp Cookie.

Mindframe, a son of Constitution out of the stakes-winning mare Walk of Stars, is owned by Mike Repole and Vinnie and Teresa Viola’s St. Elias Stable and trained by Todd Pletcher. He covered seven furlongs in 1:21.72 and returned $4.20 as the favorite.

Mindframe earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 103.

“We were anticipating a good debut, I thought that was something kind of special there,” Pletcher said. “He trained outstanding coming into the race, he’d just been doing everything right, everything has come very easily to him. I wasn’t sure that he was fit enough until his last gate work, it surprised me what he was able to do [because] he hasn’t had a huge body of work coming into it. So much of it is just on natural talent.”

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Pletcher said Mindframe had just some “baby setbacks” along the way, which is why he didn’t get started until Saturday. Pletcher did not have an idea what could be next for Mindframe, but he is confident the horse will be equally, if not more effective, at longer distances.

“I know he’s a two-turn horse, but he broke well, showed good tactical speed, put himself in a good position,” Pletcher said. “The farther he went, the stronger he got.”

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