Tuttipaesi scores 7-1 upset in South Beach

Nearly three years since winning a Gulfstream Park turf stakes in her North American debut, Tuttipaesi did it again Saturday when she captured the $100,000 South Beach Stakes at the south Florida track.

Shrewdly reserved off a solid pace by jockey Chris Decarlo, Tuttipaesi rallied to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths over lukewarm favorite Hope Cross. The winner returned $16.60 as fifth choice in a field of 10 fillies and mares after finishing the 7 1/2-furlong distance in 1:31.58 over “good” turf.

The longshot Celebrity Star showed the way in the South Beach, but as they straightened for home, only a few lengths separated the entire field. Tuttipaesi had the strongest kick, finishing in the middle of the course while Hope Cross closed up the rail to get second by a half-length over Lori’s Store.

Bill Mott trains Tuttipaesi, a gray Irish-bred 5-year-old mare by Clodovil, for Valor Ladies LLC. After starting her career with five races as a 2-year-old in Europe, Tuttipaesi won the ungraded Ginger Brew on the Gulfstream turf on Jan. 1, 2013, in her first start on this continent. With her subsequent form marked by stops and starts, she broke a seven-race losing streak by taking a restricted stakes at Suffolk Downs in October. She now has earned $361,529 from 15 races.

The $2 exacta (8-6) paid $71.40, the $1 trifecta (8-6-10) returned $118.80, and the 10-cent superfecta (8-6-10-9) was worth $77.17.