Most Handsome takes advantage of surface change in Hollywood Beach Stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Most Handsome kept his record unblemished and became a stakes winner for the first time in the process after holding off a belated rally by Mila’s Wish to register a popular head victory in the $95,000 Hollywood Beach on Saturday at Gulfstream Park. The five-furlong Hollywood Beach for 2-year-olds was originally scheduled for the turf but ultimately was decided over the Tapeta course.

The change in surface played in favor of Most Handsome, whose only previous start resulted in a maiden special weight victory over the Tapeta here Aug. 31 for trainer Ron Spatz. He was one of only two members of the field with a victory over the course along with Ghostly Rose.

With jockey Drayden Van Dyke back aboard, Most Handsome contested the early pace with longshot Moon Factor, disposed of that one on the final turn, and was well clear settling into the stretch before withstanding a final surge by Mila’s Wish. The latter eased back off the early leaders after the opening furlong, saved ground on the turn, angled five wide to commence his bid into the stretch, and closed resolutely down the center of the track to just miss. Noble N Magical raced forwardly throughout but lacked the necessary closing response while finishing third.

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Ghostly Rose, who also won his maiden at first asking locally on the Tapeta track and most recently was stakes-placed on turf at Colonial Downs, finished fourth after being forced extremely wide into the stretch.

Most Handsome, a Florida-bred son of Neolithic owned by Spatz in partnership with David Romanik, ran the distance in 57.60 seconds and returned $5.60.

“I was happy about it. Why wouldn’t I be?,” Spatz said when asked his reaction to the news of the surface change early Saturday morning. “He already won on Tapeta. But I think he’ll turf too.”

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