Successful Native gives trainer special birthday gift

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Aubrey Maragh is rarely at a loss for words. But Maragh could barely speak in the Gulfstream Park winner’s circle on Monday, having lost most of his voice from celebrating his 50th birthday along with the 2 1/4-length victory by his turf sprint specialist Successful Native over the odds-on Hogy in the $75,000 Janus Stakes.

Successful Native led throughout under a red-hot Tyler Gaffalione to register his second victory since returning from a one-year layoff here late this past summer. Successful Native, a 7-year-old son of Successful Appeal, captured a mid-level optional claiming and allowance race in game fashion to conclude his 2017 campaign just two weeks ago.

Hogy, the 4-5 favorite coming off an 11th-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, was left with too much to do after dropping well back in the early going and then fanning extremely wide while rallying into the stretch. He finished second, a length in front of Vision Perfect.

Successful Native, a multiple turf sprint stakes winner in 2016, completed five furlongs over a firm course in 55.35 seconds and paid $12.80.

“We gave him a freshening and he’s back in form now,” Maragh said. “I thought he was going to be on the lead, I told the rider to put him on the lead and he’ll finish from there. It’s very special, winning a race like this, especially on my birthday.”

Successful Native gave Gaffalione a sweep of the two stakes on the card. Earlier in the afternoon, he guided Woodbine invader Code Warrior to a 1 1/4-length decision over the pace-setting Girls Know Best in the $75,000 Abundantia Stakes with the heavily favored Brandy’s Girl finishing a wide and late-running third.

Code Warrior was making her first start since being purchased for $190,000 at the Keeneland November Sale by new owner Robert Marzili.

“We’d been following this filly for a long time. We had a real good filly in Canada called Caren by this sire. When she came up for auction we bought her,” said trainer Michael De Paulo, who campaigned the Marzilli-owned Caren during her Canadian Horse of the Year season in 2016.

“I haven’t had her that long. We bought her, sent her to Ocala. Paul Sharp had her for a bit and sent her to me here, and here we are.”

Code Warrior, a 5-year-old daughter of Society’s Chariman, returned $18.20 after completing five furlongs in :55.82.