Sound Machine plays right notes in Musical Romance, ends victory drought

Sound Machine snapped a 10-race winless streak dating back nearly 17 months by rallying up the rail under a terrific ground-saving ride by jockey Edgard Zayas to win Saturday’s $75,000 Musical Romance Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Sound Machine had not visited the winner’s circle since registering an easy victory in the Glitter Woman Stakes making her 3-year-old debut in January 2020. Although blanked in the win column until Saturday, Sound Machine had been graded-stakes placed twice during that period for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. and e Five Racing Thoroughbreds, having finished third in the Grade 3 Ms Preakness in October and second in the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie at Gulfstream on March 20.

On Saturday, Sound Machine rushed up the inside in the run down the backstretch before easing back off the early leaders. She continued to save ground, biding her time awaiting an opening before finding ample room on the rail and readily drawing clear of the laboring leaders on settling into the stretch.

Bramble Berry, who contested the early running, held on gamely to finish second, 2 3/4 lengths behind the winner. Merseyside rallied for third with Heiressall checking home fourth after a wide trip.

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Sound Machine, a 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief, completed 6 1/2 furlongs over the fast track in 1:17.74 and paid $6.40 in a scratched-reduced field of eight Florida-bred fillies and mares.

“She had a little trouble in her last race, but today we had her back in form,” Joseph said. “Today she showed a new dimension. She kicked in and showed a lot of determination.”

Sound Machine will likely make her next start in the Grade 2 Princess Rooney, the marquee event of the spring-summer session, on July 3.