Ultra Brat gets first graded stakes win in Marshua's River

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Ultra Brat remained perfect at Gulfstream Park and became a graded stakes winner Saturday, getting a well-judged ride by Nik Juarez and scoring a 1 3/4-length victory over the heavily favored Dream Dancing in the $150,000 Marshua’s River.

Ultra Brat, making just her second start since winning the Tropical Park Oaks over this course 13 months ago, sat a perfect trip stalking the early pace of Gianna’s Dream.

Ultra Brat, who prepped for the Grade 3 Marshua’s River with a fourth-place finish in the six-furlong Autumn Days Stakes at Aqueduct seven weeks ago, readily overtook the leader when asked on the final turn, opened a commanding advantage upon settling into the stretch, and was never seriously threatened thereafter.

Dream Dancing, the only Grade 1 winner in the field but idle since a seventh-place finish in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup three months ago, broke well, then was reserved near the rear of the field early in the 1 1/16-mile Marshua’s River.

Dream Dancing commenced her rally while wide approaching the stretch and finished willingly into the slow pace, only to be left with too much to do in the end. She was easily second-best, finishing 1 1/4 lengths in front of the late-running King’s Ghost.

Ultra Brat, a 5-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo, is trained by Graham Motion for owner and breeder Alex G Campbell Jr. She completed the distance over a “good” course in 1:45.35 and paid $10.80.

“She didn’t have any specific issues, no real nagging problems,” Motion said when asked about the long break after the Tropical Park Oaks. “We gave her a break, and it took her a little longer to get back to the races than we thought. But it looks like it worked out pretty well.”

Motion said one of the keys to Ultra Brat’s success Saturday was getting her to relax early.

“The [slow] fractions seemed odd to me, especially as relaxed as she was,” Motion said. “Nik said the one thing he wanted to do was get her to relax because she was pretty keen sprinting in New York. It set up really well today, and she obviously likes this track.”