Unbridled Courage gets first stakes victory in Treasure Coast

Trainer Aubrey Maragh claimed Unbridled Courage for $25,000 during the spring meet with the thought that she might be better served going longer than the steady series of five-furlong races she’d been participating in over her previous six starts. And so far, that theory has been spot on.

Unbridled Courage stretched out to 1 1/16 miles last month to finish second in the Ginger Punch Stakes. And on Saturday, she became a stakes winner by outgaming No Sweat by a neck in the one-mile, $75,000 Treasure Coast Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Under a patient ride by Nik Juarez, Unbridled Courage extricated herself from some close quarters during the early stages to engage the 2-1 favorite, No Sweat, in early stretch before proving narrowly best despite being carried out wide by the runner-up near the end.

No Sweat rated close up early, readily took control into the stretch, dug in bravely when taken on by Unbridled Courage but proved second-best. It was another neck back to the late-running Lipstick City in third.

Unbridled Courage, a 6-year-old daughter of Leroidesanimaux, is owned by Dominic Auriccio and Rachel Jacobson in partnership with Radon. She completed the distance in 1:35.91 over the firm course and paid $10.80.