Venezuelan Hug goes last to first in Sunshine Millions Turf

MIAMI, Fla. - Facing older horses for just the second time in his career, Venezuelan Hug rallied from last to a head victory over the veteran Second Mate in Saturday’s $60,000 Sunshine Millions Turf Preview at Gulfstream Park West, the first of two stakes on the card that were postponed due to the adverse conditions of the turf course last week weekend.

Venezuelan Hug, a 3-year-old son of Constitution trained by Danny Gargan, was returning to statebred competition after finishing eighth and last in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby on Oct. 3. In his only previous start against older rivals, Venezuelan Hug won a Florida-bred maiden special weight race by 5 1/4 widening lengths at Gulfstream Park on April 25. Gargan had claimed Venezuelan Hug for $40,000 one month earlier.

With Joe Bravo replacing Angel Arroyo, injured on a riding mishap the previous afternoon, Venezuelan Hug dropped back to last in the run around the first turn of the 1 1/16-mile Turf Preview following a slow beginning. The former claimer began to advance around the second turn, had to work his way through traffic in early stretch, split horses a furlong out, edged clear, then withstood a final surge from Second Mate. The latter, who also raced near the rear of the field during the early going, angled four wide into the stretch, finished well but could not match strides with the winner near the end. Scraps was third.

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Galleon’s Mast, who had won the previous two renewals of this event, lagged far back much of the way before passing tiring horses to finish a non-threatening fifth. Monforte, the 5-2 favorite with six wins in his previous seven starts, all against 3-year-old competition, finished a tiring seventh after volleying for the lead for nearly a mile.

Spendale Family Racing LLC owns Venezuelan Hug, who covered the distance over a firm course in 1:43.24 and paid $9.20.

“The only concern they had was a 3-year-old running against older [horses] because most times 3-year-olds aren’t as developed as older horses, and look what he did today,” Bravo said. “It really shows you this horse has the potential to grow up to be a good one. Today was my first time riding him and I can’t praise him enough and say how good he is.”

An hour later, the aptly named Inthewinnerscircle used similar tactics, rallying from near the rear of the 10-horse field, to a 1 1/4-length decision over Yafa in the $60,000 Juvenile Fillies Turf, a race also postponed from the previous Saturday. Double Blessed was third.

Inthewinnerscircle came into the Juvenile Fillies Turf a maiden, having finished fifth in her only previous start in a race switched from the grass to the main track here earlier in the meet. She was the fourth winner on the card for jockey Edgard Zayas. Mark Casse trains Inthewinnerscircle, a 2-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, owned by Live Oak Plantation.

Sweet Soupersweet, who went postward the tepid 5-2 choice in the race for Florida-bred 2-year-old fillies, raced near the inside much of the way but lacked a closing response, finishing a disappointing and distant fifth in her local debut.

Inthewinnerwscircle paid $13.40.