Ol Donyo leads top three sweep for Wolfson in Musical Romance

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Taking down the first three spots in a stakes race is nothing new for trainer Marty Wolfson. In fact, he once sent out the first four finishers in a stakes at Calder. But accomplishing the feat yet again on Saturday did bring a hint of a smile to the face of the usually demure Wolfson, who sent out Ol Donyo to an easy victory over stablemates Flores Island and Kipling’s Joy in the $90,000 Musical Romance, the main event on a very soggy day of racing at Gulfstream Park.

Ol Donyo, a stakes winner when trained by John Terranova at 3, joined Wolfson’s barn for the 2014 season and is now perfect in two starts for her new connections. A daughter of Curlin, Ol Donyo rallied to win a mid-level optional claiming race here on Aug. 7 before taking her game to another level in the seven-furlong Musical Romance.

With Jilver Chamfi aboard, Ol Donyo settled in perfect stalking position behind the pacesetting Horsin’ Around, slipped inside the leader to readily take command entering the stretch, and then steadily increased her advantage while drifting out past the middle of the track in the process. She arrived at the wire 3 1/2 lengths in front of Flores Island, who was making her first start since March 1 and her first since arriving under Wolfson’s shed earlier this season. Flores Island prompted the pace while hung wide and steadily weakened although remained 2 1/4 lengths clear of Kipling’s Joy to finish second in a scratch-reduced field of eight fillies and mares.

Ol Donyo is owned by Newtown Anner Stud. She completed the distance in 1:23.73 over a sloppy track and paid $8.

“It’s happened before. I was one-two-three-four once at Calder,” said Wolfson, who entered four fillies in the Musical Romance but scratched morning-line favorite Best Behavior. “It’s nice with fillies because they all get black type. Ol Donyo has a habit of drifting through the stretch, but it’s no big deal. I love the other filly [Flores Island] that finished second, I love her going long. She needs to go a little further.”