Our Way's victory may give him step up in class

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Our Way surged to victory Saturday against fellow Florida-breds in the $100,000 Sunshine Millions Turf at Gulfstream Park and may well have earned a shot at Grade 1 company in the foreseeable future.

Trainer Jim Bond said after Our Way outfinished Enterprising by a neck in the 1 1/16-mile Turf that the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile at Keeneland in April might well be the next race for the 4-year-old colt.

“It’s a possibility,” said Bond, noting his son and assistant, Ryan, has been instrumental in the colt’s progress. “We’ll take it one day at a time, but we’re thinking about that for sure.”

Giving Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez his third victory on a 12-race card, Our Way raced just off a relaxed pace before shifting outside the leaders for his winning stretch run. He returned $10.20 as third choice in a field of seven.

“Perfect trip,” Velazquez said. “He broke really well and (Bond) told me he didn't want me too close, but if it's slow enough, get close enough. He broke well, so it worked out perfect. I didn't have to do anything, I just put my hands down and followed the horse on the lead.”

Go Around, the 8-5 favorite, set fractions of 25.07 and 49.23 before being engaged in the far turn by Enterprising. Leaving the furlong pole, both were overtaken from the outside by Our Way, a son of Tizway, with whom owner William Clifton Jr. and Bond won the Grade 1 Met Mile and Grade 1 Whitney Handicap in 2011.

“He’s just a really handy horse, like his daddy,” Bond said. After the slow early fractions, Bond said he turned to Clifton and said, “Johnny, I hope you can figure this out. He did his magic as usual.”

The winning time was 1:41.81 over a firm course.

Enterprising finished another 1 3/4 lengths before late-running Reporting Star, the 2-1 second choice. Go Around faded to fourth and was followed in order by Starship Zorro, Two Step Time, and Beneficiary. Class and Cash was an early scratch.

Our Way was going against older horses for the first time after winning three of his first 10 career starts. Bond said he believes the horse has the potential to become a very effective two-turn miler and that the colt may or may not have another start prior to the Maker’s 46.

The $2 exacta (4-6) paid $50.20, the $1 trifecta (4-6-2) returned $89.70, and the 10-cent superfecta (4-6-2-8) was worth $16.76.