Pacific Gale ($34.20) ends 17-race win drought with Inside Information

John Kimmel had just watched Mr. Buff win the Jazil Stakes at Aqueduct for the third straight year from his home north of Jupiter, Fla., and then jumped in his car for the hour-long drive to Gulfstream Park, where he was excited to saddle longshot Pacific Gale in Saturday’s Grade 2 Inside Information Stakes.

“Good thing I didn’t hit any traffic,” Kimmel said.

Better yet, neither did Pacific Gale.

Kept covered up by John Velazquez for the opening half-mile, Pacific Gale was tipped four-wide and into the clear turning for home and then overtook pacesetting Cinnabunny inside the eighth pole en route to a 2 3/4-length victory in the Inside Information.

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Thissmytime, who was part of the early pace along with Cinnabunny, got second by one length over the late-running Piedi Bianchi. Cinnabunny, the slight 2-1 favorite, had to settle for fourth, followed by Dream Marie, Bronx Beauty, Sally’s Curlin, and Sound Machine.

The win broke a 17-race losing streak for Pacific Gale, dating back to Oct. 4, 2018 at Belmont Park. Though she had won the listed Sorority Stakes as a 2-year-old at Monmouth Park, Pacific Gale had gone winless in 12 previous graded stakes tries before Saturday. She had five placings in such races.

Further, Kimmel said Mike Morton, his primary owner for many years, died last month. Mike Morton’s horses have always raced in the name of Mike’s wife, Tobey. Pacific Gale, a 6-year-old daughter of Flat Out, was scheduled to be bred to Not This Time, Kimmel said.

“I told [Tobey] this filly has been training better than I’ve ever seen her train at Palm Meadows,” Kimmel said in a post-race interview with Gulfstream Park’s Acacia Courtney. “I was very optimistic about her today even though she was 0 for the last two years. Just to see her fire today like you’ve never seen her fire was just a tremendous accomplishment.”

Pacific Gale broke sharp, but Velazquez had her in fifth, about 2 1/2 lengths off the contested pace of 22.45 seconds and 45.13 between Cinnabunny and Thissmytime. Velazquez kept Pacific Gale between runners Bronx Beauty and Sound Machine around the turn. He got Pacific Gale four-wide and in the clear turning for home and she responded down the lane.

Pacific Gale covered the seven furlongs in 1:22.60 and returned $34.20 as the second-longest shot on the board. She was assigned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.

“She looked good, she was on her toes going to the post, he kept her covered up or he said he would have gone right out there with the leaders,” Kimmel said. “Usually, she’s been floundering in the stretch, today she fired on like she’d been training.”