Thewayiam, Flameaway take turf stakes victories

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Thewayiam and Flameaway both emerged with hard-earned victories in twin turf stakes on the Saturday undercard at Gulfstream Park.

Thewayiam, trained by Graham Motion, got a beautiful ride from Jose Ortiz, saving ground before splitting horses to prevail by three-quarters of a length over Closer Still in the $100,000 Ginger Brew. Andina Del Sur was another half-length back in third in a field of 10 3-year-old fillies.

“My trip was perfect,” Ortiz said. “I just followed my instructions. I dropped into the rail and tried to get her to relax and she did very well. When I asked her to go, she picked it up and is all heart. She’s small but she has a lot of heart. She split the horses like it was nothing and gave me a great kick in the end.”

Thewayiam, a French-bred filly owned by a four-way partnership, returned $13 after finishing “about” 7 1/2 furlongs in 1:30.19. The Ginger Brew marked her third start in the U.S. – she won a Keeneland allowance and was well beaten in the Grade Jimmy Durante at Del Mar – and her first career stakes victory.

The $100,000 Sweetest Chant on Feb. 3 is the next race in the division at the Gulfstream championship meet.

The $2 exacta (5-3) paid $110.60, the $1 trifecta (5-3-8) returned $251.90, and the 10-cent superfecta (5-3-8-7) was worth $271.49.

One hour earlier, Flameaway ($7.40) somehow fended off a series of challenges when making all the running from his rail post and taking the $100,000 Kitten’s Joy in 1:29.78.

Ridden by Julien Leparoux, Flameaway was dogged most of the way by Mojovation, who gave way grudgingly in deep stretch as a belated run by Pony Up fell just a neck shy of the winner in a blanket finish. Renaisance Frolic was third and favored Fast Boat was fourth, as less than two lengths separated the entire field of seven 3-year-old colts.

“At the eighth pole, I thought we were toast,” said Norman Casse, son of and assistant to trainer Mark Casse. “I thought, ‘Well, he needed a race,’ but then he really dug in.”

“They actually passed me a bit,” Leparoux said. “When he saw them, he began to really kick it in again. When he has competition, he’s a game horse and it was a great win.”

Flameaway, an Ontario-bred son of the late Scat Daddy, was a $400,000 yearling purchase by John Oxley. The Kitten’s Joy became his third stakes win, and the first on turf, from just six career starts. His prior triumphs in the Skidmore at Saratoga and the Grade 3 Bourbon at Keeneland both were transferred from turf to the main track.

Casse said the next race at Gulfstream in the division, the $100,000 Dania Beach on Feb. 3, would be a logical next start for Flameaway.

It was the second stakes win on the 11-race Saturday card for Leparoux, following a score aboard Cicatrix in the Glitter Woman.

The $2 exacta (1-8) paid $63, the $1 trifecta (1-8-6) returned $299.60, and the 10-cent superfecta (1-8-6-5) was worth $106.40.