Mr. Prospector comes up tough for Mufasa's rebound try
?q=100)
White Abarrio’s presence in Saturday’s Grade 3, $165,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes didn’t seem to scare anybody away from the entry box as he will have 11 opponents in the seven-furlong race.
Among the more intriguing challengers is Mufasa, winner of the Grade 2 Vosburgh at Aqueduct in September who finished 11th in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
Despite breaking from post 12 under Tyler Gaffalione in the two-turn BC Dirt Mile, Mufasa actually worked his way over to the rail by the first turn but resented dirt being kicked in his face, according to trainer Ignacio “Nacho” Correas IV.
“This is a horse that never had dirt in his face before that race,” Correas said. “We thought we could go into the first turn three wide, we ended up on the rail. I don’t know how [Gaffalione] was able to do that, but I think he shut himself down.”
Mufasa has been at Gulfstream Park for the better part of a month. He has worked five times since the Dirt Mile, including a bullet five furlongs in 1:00.25 over the main track Saturday.
“He’s trained well. He shipped well to Florida and had some very nice works,” Correas said. “This is a tough race for a Grade 3. He’s facing a bunch of good horses.”
In the Mr. Prospector, Mufasa will break from post 6 under Gaffalione. As the 126-pound highweight, he will actually be giving four pounds to White Abarrio, a three-time Grade 1 winner and $5.2 million earner.
White Abarrio will break from post 10 under Irad Ortiz Jr.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.