Prior experience, patient ride propels Summer Cause to Allen Jerkens win

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Summer Cause, the only member of the field to have already run a race at two miles, benefitted from that experience as well as a very patient ride by jockey Tyler Gaffalione to register a popular two-length victory over Coiled in Saturday’s $100,000 Allen Jerkens Handicap at Gulfstream Park.

Summer Cause came into the main event off a fourth-place finish in the two-mile John Forbes Memorial six weeks earlier at Far Hills, a race in which he carried 144 pounds, two less than the European Invader and runaway 9-5 winner Fleetfoot. Summer Cause shared co-highweight of 121 pounds along with Risk Manager in the Allen Jerkens.

Gaffalione allowed Summer Cause to drop back nearly a dozen lengths behind the pace setting Dontsplashthespot during the opening mile of the Allen Jerkens. The pair finally began to advance midway down the backstretch the second time around, ultimately over-took the tiring leader into the stretch, edged clear then was fully extended to hold safe a game try by Coiled through the final furlong. It was another 6 1/4 lengths farther back to Padiddle who rallied from last to best the tiring Dontsplashthepot by a nose for third.

Summer Cause is a 5-year-old son of Summer Front trained by Miguel Clement for owner-breeder Waterford Stables LLC. He completed the grueling distance over a fast track in 3:19.95 seconds, just .47 seconds off the course record and returned $6.40 while giving Gaffalione his third win on the card.

“I had really good position going into the first turn,” said Gaffalione. “They opened up pretty good. My horse maintained a really good rhythm. He was comfortable throughout. When I asked him, he kept finding. He really relished the distance today.”

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