Mr. Jordan brings newfound maturity to Hal's Hope

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Mr. Jordan always had a world of talent – it was the mental portion of his game that was somewhat lacking. But it will be a more mature and versatile Mr. Jordan who will kick off his 2017 campaign as perhaps the one to beat in the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope, one of three graded stakes Saturday at Gulfstream Park. The 11-race card also features two turf stakes, the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale and Grade 3 Marshua’s River.

Mr. Jordan likely will vie for favoritism in the one-mile Hal’s Hope with the multiple Grade 3 winner Tommy Macho and the Grade 1-placed Realm. The well-matched lineup also includes Grade 3 winner Ami’s Flatter, the up-and-coming duo of Bird Song and Dolphus, and Hy Riverside, Team Colors, and Unbridled Outlaw.

Mr. Jordan closed his 2016 campaign with two easy wins that included a popular 3 3/4-length decision in the Sunshine Millions Classic Preview. Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. had originally planned on bringing Mr. Jordan back in the Sunshine Millions, a race in which he finished second a year ago, before ultimately opting for the Hal’s Hope.

“I’ve got two horses, Awesome Slew and Mr. Jordan, both of whom were eligible for these two races and even the Poseidon,” Plesa said. “I don’t want to run them against each other. I felt Awesome Slew was probably better at a mile and one-eighth, so I decided to run him in the Sunshine Millions and Mr. Jordan, who I think is better at a mile, in here.”

Plesa said gelding Mr. Jordan last summer went a long way toward helping him settle down and improve during the second half of the 2016 campaign.

“I think he started getting what it’s all about in his last four races,” Plesa said. “He’s learned to relax and take it easy on himself, and you can see the difference in him compared to earlier in his career. He’s not bearing out like he used to, a problem that was always more mental with him than physical.”

Tommy Macho has finished off the board in his only two starts since cruising to an impressive victory over stablemate Stanford in the Grade 3 Fred Hooper here 11 months ago.

“Unfortunately, when he won last year, he injured his knee and had surgery,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “Honestly, his last couple of races have been a little bit disappointing, but he seemed to really like Gulfstream last year, so we’re hoping to get him back on track.”

Realm also improved steadily during the second half of 2016, culminating his 3-year-old campaign with a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile.

“He just needed to grow up, that’s all,” trainer Barclay Tagg said. “He’s doing well. I couldn’t be happier with him.”

Ami’s Flatter finished a distant fourth behind Tommy Macho in the Hooper before bouncing back to win the Grade 3 Commonwealth going seven furlongs at Keeneland in his next start.

Bird Song earned a career-best 99 Beyer Speed Figure in besting allowance opposition going a mile in his 3-year-old finale, while Dolphus, champion Rachel Alexandra’s half-brother, was even better, posting a 100 Beyer in winning a second-level allowance race over a wet track here Dec. 11 while racing with blinkers for the first time.