Watson outsteps Gaelic Legacy in Proud Man Stakes
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Only four juvenile maidens stuck around for the $100,000 Proud Man Stakes on Sunday at Gulfstream Park, but Watson still managed to put on a show, courageously battling back to defeat first-time starter Gaelic Legacy by a neck.
Coming off a June 13 debut in which he was disqualified from a victory for trainer Nicholas Tomlinson, Watson was a somewhat surprising 7-5 second choice in the Proud Man after Spicy Taco, It’s Smoking, Regent’s Park, and Bourbon On Tap scratched. Instead of heavily backing the proven commodity in the shortened field of four, bettors made Gaelic Legacy the even-money favorite in his first start for trainer Patrick Biancone.
In Samy Camacho’s third victory on the Sunday card, the jockey did very little to contain Watson in the early going, allowing his colt to chase outside of the pacesetter Candy Cole early in the 5 1/2-furlong sprint. The early leaders dueled through an opening quarter-mile in 23.08 seconds.
Candy Cole didn’t last long on the front end and quickly faded back to last, but Watson had little time to cruise out in front before Gaelic Legacy came charging forward from fourth. The first-time starter showed great courage when he was carried in at the start and was similarly dauntless while slipping up the rail to take a short lead in the stretch.
With plenty of momentum under Keith Asmussen on the inside, the even-money first-time starter seemed well on his way to a grinding stakes victory when Watson mustered some courage of his own. Camacho kept him to task after getting passed and he re-rallied.
The two Florida-breds charged home together, finishing 6 1/4 lengths clear of the Nicholas Palmer-trained colt Etruscan Warrior, but in the final strides, Watson got the better of his precocious rival. He completed the 5 1/2-furlong sprint in 1:07.15 and paid $4.80 to win.
Pay Any Price
Rezasrolex, denied in his first graded stakes attempt in April, notched his second straight victory in the $70,000 Pay Any Price overnight handicap on Sunday. Before the race, trainer Joe Orseno said the race was merely a hurdle on the way to bigger things for the 2-5 favorite.
Even after his stablemate, Extendo, failed to go for the early lead, Rezasrolex and jockey Edwin Gonzalez had few issues firing from second in the five-furlong turf sprint. He paid $2.60 to win.
Esperon, the 5-1 second choice, took a large early lead and blasted through an opening quarter-mile in 20.64 seconds and showed little mercy while completing the half-mile in 42.62.
The white-hot pacesetter did enough to leave three of his rivals scrambling, but Rezasrolex was not so easily shaken. Gonzalez kept the heavy favorite in touch and easily made up ground in the stretch, easing past to win by 1 1/4 lengths. He completed the five-furlong distance in 54.59.
If Not for Luck, a 7-year-old trained by Beau Chapman, finished 3 1/4 lengths behind Esperon in third.
With the overnight handicap out of the way, the 5-year-old gelding could ship to Ellis Park next month for the $250,000 Tri-State Turf Sprint, which serves as a prep for the Grade 2, $1.75 million Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint on Sept. 5.
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