Muted a clear favorite
Muted almost took them all the way when she was heavily favored over the boys in a first-level allowance race for 2-year-olds that carried a $75,000 claiming option in her first try with winners at Gulfstream Park on Oct. 14. She will be facing fillies only when she tries to make amends in the Thursday feature race at Gulfstream.
The six-furlong dash on the main track, which has the same conditions as her narrow loss Oct. 14, drew eight horses and goes as race 7 on an eight-race program that begins at 12:30 p.m. Eastern.
Trained by Thomas Proctor, Muted showed a lot of promise when she won her debut on Sept. 3. With Emisael Jaramillo riding, she broke sharply in the six-furlong maiden special weight race for fillies and after dueling between Bullet on Tap and Lady Baffled, she drew off to win by 7 1/4 lengths over Lady Baffled, who won a maiden special weight race in her next start Oct. 15.
Muted showed the same speed Oct. 14, but could not hold off Lightening Larry, who chased her the whole way before wearing her down late to win by a half-length. Lightening Larry came back to finish second in the $60,000 Juvenile Sprint for Florida-breds on Oct. 30. Despite the loss, it was another solid effort from Muted and the Beyer Figures from both of her races – 72 in her debut and 69 in her latest – stand out.
A daughter of Into Mischief, Muted was purchased by Glen Hill Farm for $460,000 out of the Keeneland September yearling sale last year. Her future appears to be bright and it would not be surprising to see Proctor give her a chance on turf soon. She is the first foal from Praia, a stakes winner going a mile and three-eighths on turf at Churchill Downs who finished second in the Grade 3 Regret at Belmont Park and the Grade 3 Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs. The Regret and Oaks were also on grass.
Muted will break from post 4 with Jaramillo up.
Divine Connection was also an easy winner of a maiden special weight race for fillies in her first start for trainer Jennifer Young on Sept. 9. The daughter of Connect will not mind the cutback in distance after she forced the pace before finishing fifth going seven furlongs in the $60,000 Juvenile Fillies sprint for Florida-bred 2-year-old fillies Oct. 23.
Divine Connection will break from post 3 with Chantal Sutherland retaining the mount. Sutherland is currently on a on a hot streak, winning at a 34-percent clip with 13 wins from 38 starts since Oct. 29.
Love Her Lots came from a stalking positon to win her debut for trainer Ronald Spatz on Sept. 23. The final time for the six-furlong maiden special race was slow, 1:13.25, and the daughter of Cupid will need a Beyer boost from the 42 she received.
However, she bobbled at the start, seemed not to like having dirt kicked in her face when she was behind horses on the rail, and once Miguel Vasquez moved her into the clear she finished strongly to win going away.
Love Her Lots showed she can pass horses and there should be speed coming back to her.