Sailing Solo takes Mr. Steele Stakes under confident handling by Prado

Under confident handling by Edgar Prado, Sailing Solo took them all the way in the $75,000 Mr. Steele for 3-year-olds and up at Gulfstream Park on Monday.

It was the third straight win for Sailing Solo who paid $3 for his 1 1/2-length decision over Louder Than Bombs in the mile and a sixteenth race that was contested over turf rated good.

Sailing Solo broke alertly from post 2 and despite being under pressure from 80-1 longshot Cheyenne’s Colonel looked comfortable posting a half-mile time of 47.75 seconds. Prado appeared to have Sailing Solo well in hand after six furlongs in 1:11.76 while holding a half-length advantage over Cheyenne’s Colonel.

Turning for home there was a wall of horses on his heels, but under mild urging from Prado Sailing Solo opened up a clear lead. Prado showed Sailing Solo his whip a few times in deep stretch but he was never seriously threatened by Louder Than Bombs, who stalked. Galleon Mast, last early, rallied to finish third.

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The final time, which was hand-timed, was 1:42.44

A 5-year-old horse by Smart Strike out of Proviso, Sailing Solo races for and is trained by Louis Roussel III.

In the co-featured $75,000 Monroe, Always Shopping came from a stalking position the win the mile and a sixteenth race on turf for fillies and mares.

The winning margin was a neck over Bienville Street, who also stalked before taking a one-length lead at the eighth pole. It was another 2 1/4 lengths back to Kelsey’s Cross, who broke slowly and then had to go five wide while making a strong move around the stretch turn.

Always Shopping was ridden by Edgard Zayas. She paid $9.40 and posted a final time of 1:43.36 over a course rated good. It was her first win since she won the Grade 2 Gazelle on the main track at Aqueduct in April 2019.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, the Repole Stable-homebred is by Awesome Again out of Stopshoppingmaria.