Mr. Jordan much the best in Juvenile Sprint

MIAMI - Mr. Jordan lived up to all the hype, overcoming an unlucky trip to register an impressive three-length victory over Morgans Harbour and seven other overmatched 2-year-olds in Saturday’s $100,000 Juvenile Sprint at Gulfstream Park West.

Mr. Jordan, a Florida-bred son of Kantharos, was an easy 6 3/4-length winner of his only previous start late this summer at Monmouth Park. Despite his lack of experience in a field that included a pair of stakes winners, Mr. Jordan went off the 4-5 choice for trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. in the 6 1/2-furlong Sprint.

With regular rider Paco Lopez aboard, Mr. Jordan broke a step slow and then rated behind the early leaders while forced to steady along a couple of times near the inside on the turn. Lopez angled Mr. Jordan out for clearance leaving the bend and once settling into the stretch, the favorite asserted his superiority, readily drawing well clear in the final furlong.

Morgans Harbour, who like the winner had captured his only previous start, prompted the early pace, dropped back a bit on the turn, and then rallied belatedly to easily be second best, finishing 4 1/4 lengths in front of the three-time stakes winner Sing Praises.

Mr. Jordan completed the distance in 1:18.32 and paid $3.80.

“You have to have luck to win races,” said Plesa. “He overcame a bad start and horses in front of him. He proved today he didn’t need the lead, he could sit great. I thought Paco rode an outstanding horse. He was just the best horse.”

Plesa said he’s looking forward to stretching out Mr. Jordan around two turns in the future.

“We’ll sit down and map out a plan,” said Plesa. “But Paco said before this horse even ran he thought he’d go two turns, which is a little surprising considering his pedigree. But I think he’ll go two turns as well, and I’m looking forward to trying it.”

Leap Year Luck enables Gold to avoid shutout

It’s hard to imagine a day of statebred stakes racing in south Florida, especially one that includes 2-year-old races, without a victory by the team of owner-breeder Fred Brei’s Jacks or Better Farm and trainer Stanley Gold. But it took until the final event on Saturday’s Sunshine Millions Preview card for the potent pair to finally strike, the duo combining to win the finale, the $100,000 Juvenile Filly Sprint, with Leap Year Luck.

Leap Year Luck, a homebred daughter of Hear No Evil, finished full of run down the center of the track to catch Savingtime in the final sixteenth of the 6 1/2-furlong Juvenile Filly Sprint, edging off to a 2 1/4-length victory under jockey Jesus Rio. Savingtime weakened late but held on for second over Moment of Delight.

Leap Year Luck, an easy winner of the Desert Vixen Stakes, the opening leg of the Florida Sire Series, nearly four months earlier at Gulfstream Park, paid $17.20.