Finallymadeit pulls front-running upset on Florida Million Day

Finallymadeit proved his trainer right in the Carl Rose Classic (Jim Lisa Photo/Calder Race Course) When Rolbea Thoroughbred Racing's homebred FINALLYMADEIT (Concerto) captured the Jack Dudley Sprint H. on Florida Million Day last year, trainer Javier Negrete averred that he had the ability to run longer. The chestnut colt vindicated that judgment in stunning fashion in Saturday's $200,000 Carl G. Rose Classic H., the centerpiece of Florida Million Day's eight-stakes program worth $1.2 million for state-breds at Calder. Expertly handled by Eduardo Nunez, the 16-1 Finallymadeit secured the early lead through an opening quarter in :23 3/5, then managed to slow the tempo through a half in :48 4/5. The pacesetter continued to travel well within himself as he rattled off six furlongs in 1:13 1/5, and turning for home, he flashed pure speed to send his rivals into disarray. As his nearest pursuers, Actin Good (Yes It's True) and even-money favorite It's a Bird (Birdonthewire), were caught flat-footed, Finallymadeit burst clear and increased his advantage through the stretch, ultimately barreling home a commanding 6 1/4-length winner. After finishing 1 1/8 miles on the fast track in 1:52, he provided a boon of $34, $15.20 and $9.60 to his loyalists. Dream Maestro (Concerto) got up late for second. Another length back came Actin Good, who had a head in front of fourth-placer It's a Bird.

"I've ridden this horse many times before and I knew if he got to the lead and relaxed a bit that he wouldn't just win, but win easily," Nunez said. "Last time out in the Spend a Buck (H. [G3] on October 18) we were on the lead but got a lot of pressure and went too fast (winding up sixth to It's a Bird). Today he popped right out there as usual but the difference was slowing down the fractions. I knew if we went the half in :48 and change he would win."

"He's just amazing," co-owner Rolando Rodriguez said. "Last year he was the leading sprinter in Florida, although he also ran well the two times he ran long. After he didn't run any good in three straight sprint races this year, he was telling us he didn't want to do that anymore. So we changed strategy and trained him to go long and he loves it. We'll run him in the Sunshine Millions ($1 million Classic at Gulfstream Park on January 24) and he'll win it. He just loves to run. He (Negrete) couldn't be here today. His mother is sick in Mexico and he is with her."

Icy Atlantic scored his first win in more than one year (Jim Lisa Photo/Calder Race Course) Finallymadeit was recording his seventh career black-type victory, and he has now amassed $602,365 in earnings from a record of 35-13-5-4. He has also placed in six black-type events, including a near-miss second in the 2007 Kenny Noe Jr. H. (G3) and a third in the Mr. Prospector H. (G3) early this year. His most recent success had come in the off-the-turf Band Is Passing S. at Calder in August. The statebred extravaganza got off to an eventful start in the $150,000 Bonnie Heath Turf Cup H., when even-money favorite Soldier's Dancer (Lost Soldier) took a nosedive leaving the gate and unseated Manoel Cruz. The riderless Soldier's Dancer moved up to stalk the pace, eventually crossing over in front of and hampering the front-running longshot Rachel's Dancer (Robyn Dancer) late on the backstretch, led the way into the stretch, but tired in the drive. The 7-5 second choice, Silver Tree (Hennessy), at first looked poised to capitalize on the favorite's misfortune. He was soon overhauled by Magic Mecke (Mecke) in midstretch, though, and Magic Mecke was in turn swamped by James T. Scatuorchio's ICY ATLANTIC (Stormy Atlantic), who closed vigorously down the center of the course to win by 1 1/4 lengths.

Under a well-judged ride by Cornelio Velasquez, the Todd Pletcher charge completed 1 1/8 miles on the firm turf in 1:50 1/5 and paid $12, $5.80 and $9.60 as the 5-1 third choice. The seven-year-old Icy Atlantic now sports a mark of 44-8-11-3, $987,140. The bay veteran was posting his fifth career stakes victory, with his previous titles including the 2007 Arcadia H. (G2) and Red Bank S. (G3) and the 2004 Jersey Derby (G3), and his resume boasts 11 stakes placings.

"He's always been a nice horse, but has had some unlucky trips when he ran well this year," assistant trainer Tristan Barry said. "He proved that today and deserved to win a race like this. He got to the front and then waited on horses, but he had plenty left in the tank. I don't know that the favorite losing his rider made the difference, but it certainly didn't hurt our chances."

A dirt-spattered Salo Jak got stronger the farther he went (Jim Lisa Photo/Calder Race Course) In the $150,000 Jack Price Juvenile S., recent maiden winner SALO JAK (Graeme Hall) engineered a last-to-first charge to roll past 8-5 choice Three Part Harmony (Concerto) in deep stretch. Trained by Gilberto Zerpa and piloted by Javier Santiago, the chestnut colt produced a sustained late run along the inside, finishing seven furlongs in 1:24 4/5. The 5-1 third selection in his stakes debut, he returned $12.20, $4.40 and $3.40. Three Part Harmony checked in 1 1/4 lengths adrift in second, with Bidham (Trippi) crossing the wire another two lengths back in third. "This horse loves to come from well off the pace," Santiago said. "I think the way he runs is going to make him an even better horse when he runs longer. I just sat back and waited, fortunately the others drifted and we came right through on the rail." "He came with the same rush in the stretch that he did last time with speed in front of him," said Zerpa, 33, who has been in the United States for just nine months after working with horses in Venezuela for the previous 13 years. "When he changed leads, he just took off. I think he'll do well going longer distances. We'll look at the schedule and find the race that fits him."

Salo Jak's owners, Mi Jak Racing Stable, are from Venezuela as well. He finished second in a $40,000 maiden claimer in his career bow, but he reappeared to take a maiden special weight event in fine style by 4 3/4 lengths at this track and trip on October 11. His Jack Price Juvenile victory boosted his bankroll to $108,434 from his 3-2-1-0 line.

Frolics Dream appeared to be frolicking much of the way (Jim Lisa Photo/Calder Race Course) Dare to Dream Farm's FROLIC'S DREAM (Smoke Glacken) remained unbeaten from three starts with an authoritative tally in the $150,000 Joe O'Farrell Juvenile Fillies S. The Marty Wolfson filly smoothly went to the early lead while still under wraps, spurted as many as five lengths clear in the stretch, and strolled home by 1 1/4 lengths under a gearing-down Jermaine Bridgmohan. Justifying her 1-2 favoritism, the gray furnished mutuels of $3, $2.10 and $2.10 for reeling off seven furlongs in 1:24 4/5. Trippi's Greatstar (Trippi) closed determinedly for second, 4 1/2 lengths ahead of Tiger's Song (Roar of the Tiger) in third. "She's so talented," Bridgmohan said. "She does nothing wrong and cooperates 100 percent. She relaxed very nicely. She didn't need to, but I reserved her a little in the end."

"She's just naturally fast, but she relaxes on the lead," Wolfson noted. "The jock knows her well and didn't need to use her in the last eighth. I'm thinking about the Sunshine Millions race ($250,000 Oaks at Santa Anita on January 24). I don't know if there will be a spot before then. She would be turning back to six furlongs, which is no problem. We can find out about her getting a distance later."

Frolic's Dream now has $160,934 in her account. A one-length maiden winner in September, she tackled stakes company next time out in the Cassidy S. and proceeded to romp by 12 3/4 lengths.

Amazing (right) fought hard to stave off Annabill (Jim Lisa Photo/Calder Race Course) Later on the card, Bridgmohan experienced a more desperate front-running score aboard Marilyn Seltzer's homebred AMAZING (Greatness) in the $200,000 Elmer Heubeck Distaff H. The Terry Oliver sophomore got away with comfortable early splits, and when she opened up a 2 1/2-length lead at the eighth-pole, she appeared to have the race at her mercy. But defending champion Annabill (Outflanker) began to gain ground, and Amazing began to wander under pressure, first lugging in, and then veering out across Annabill's path. Annabill rolled with the punches and continued her progress, while Bridgmohan straightened out Amazing, and after an all-out struggle, pushed her nose in front at the wire. An objection was lodged by Anabill's rider, Santiago, but the stewards allowed the result to stand. The final time for the 1 1/16-mile test was 1:46 4/5, and the game winner paid $13, $6.60 and $4.20 as the fourth choice at 5-1. Annabill was a clear second, three lengths to the good of Christmas Ship (Montbrook), and 2-1 favorite Peach Flambe (Flying Chevron) wound up fourth.

"I thought she ran fantastic," Bridgmohan said. "I'm glad to be back on her, because she won her last race (the October 25 Sunny Issues S.) without me. She's really blossomed beautifully and improves every time. She's relaxing and rating better on the lead, but when I need her, she's there. As far as the foul claim, she came out a bit, but I was clear at the time. I had her straightened out."

"Naturally, when a race ends up that close you have to be concerned what they'll do," Oliver said of the claim of foul. "I thought when our filly came out she was a length clear and didn't bother the other horse. Going into the race, I thought we might be the speed and it worked out well. I was concerned that the four (Peach Flambe) might go with her, but we ended up there (lead) alone. She had some issues earlier (when unraced as a two-year-old), but she's over that now. I'll look at the schedule and see what options are available. I don't have anything in particular in mind right now."

Amazing took some time to come to hand, finally breaking her maiden in her fourth attempt. Runner-up in the Regal Gal S. in August, she showed that she was beginning to put it all together with a 12 1/2-length allowance/optional claiming rout in her start prior to the Sunny Issues. Her line now reads 12-4-2-1, $201,935.

Yesbyjimminy is in the form of his life at present (Jim Lisa Photo/Calder Race Course) Trilogy Stables' homebred YESBYJIMMINY (Yes It's True) extended his winning streak to five in the $150,000 Jack Dudley Sprint H., the first of two Florida Million Day triumphs for trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. After tracking the pace with Paco Lopez, the 8-5 choice took aim on the longtime leader Ruby's Red Socks (Reparations) and swept him aside in deep stretch. Yesbyjimminy maintained his momentum all the way to the line to hold off the hard-charging pair of Hypocrite (Outofthebox) and How's Your Halo (Halo's Image) by three-quarters of a length and a head, respectively. The favorite negotiated six furlongs in 1:11 and rewarded his backers with payouts of $5.20, $2.80 and $2.40. "The horse on the lead figured to go very fast and he did," Lopez said. "We just had to wait and make our move in the stretch. It was perfect but we got some late pressure from the number 1 horse (Hypocrite)…fortunately my horse was game."

"We recognized after his last race (when he won the Whippleton S. on September 7) that his campaign this year had been kind of on the tough side, so we decided to freshen him up and then point him for this race," Plesa explained. "There was a solid pace to run at and Paco rode a great race. I think he is going to be a top rider. We're going to look at the Sunshine Millions Sprint ($300,000 at Santa Anita on January 24)."

Yesbyjimminy's sixth stakes coup, all at Calder, advanced his scorecard to 20-10-4-3, $503,800. The four-year-old colt claims seven stakes placings, most notably last year's Carry Back S. (G2) on the Summit of Speed program.

Exe approved of a surface switch to the turf (Jim Lisa Photo/Calder Race Course) Plesa dominated the finish of the $100,000 John Franks Juvenile Fillies Turf S., as his uncoupled duo of EXE (Exchange Rate) and Ameribelle (Medaglia d'Oro) engaged in a thrilling stretch battle. Ameribelle already had turf experience, courtesy of an allowance win over the course that earned her 5-2 favoritism. She launched her bid in the stretch and put her head in front, but turf debutante Exe was just hitting high gear herself. Although Ameribelle dug down gamely on the inside, Exe would not be denied and ultimately proved the stronger of the pair by a half-length. With Cruz in the irons, the gray stopped the teletimer in 1:44 2/5 for 1 1/16 grassy miles. The winner, who was dispatched as the third choice at 5-1, gave back $12.20, $5.20 and $3.60. Another 2 1/4 lengths astern came third-place finisher Cumana (Full Mandate).

"I asked her to move a bit on the backside just to get a better position and she responded very well," Cruz said. "I knew from that response that I had a lot of horse to work with. I sat and waited and in the stretch she exploded and fought hard."

"It's kind of bittersweet (to run first and second) because as a trainer you don't know who to root for," Plesa said. "But the owners of Ameribelle are happy, my wife's one of them, and they congratulated us. We're also the co-breeders. They both ran great. We worked Exe on the turf and she liked it. We knew Ameribelle liked it. They both have futures, although we don't know what's next yet. "

Campaigned by James Riccio, Exe broke her maiden for a $75,000 tag in her fourth try. She proved that she could hold her own in stakes company next time out in the My Dear Girl division of the Florida Stallion S., where she recovered from a stumble at the start to finish third. Exe has compiled a 6-2-2-1 record with $133,850 in earnings.

Tamborim's blinkers helped him to focus on the finish (Jim Lisa Photo/Calder Race Course) In the $100,000 Arthur I. Appleton Juvenile Turf S., the Bill Mott-trained TAMBORIM (Belong to Me) benefited from a vintage Edgar Prado ride to make his stakes debut a winning one. Well placed just off the early tempo, the 7-5 favorite charged to the front in midstretch, getting the jump on the deep-closing Adari (Lightnin N Thunder). Adari mounted a furious rush, but Tamborim had poached an insurmountable advantage and pulled out just enough to hang on by a neck. The Haras Santa Maria de Araras homebred toured 1 1/16 miles on the sod in 1:44 1/5 to pay $4.80, $3.20 and $2.40. Adari had 2 1/2 lengths to spare over the pacesetting This Ones for Phil (Untuttable). "That was a good ride by Edgar," assistant trainer Kristen Lindsay said. "He can get a little lazy on the lead, that's why we put the blinkers on him (last time out when third in a Keeneland allowance)."

"They came rolling out of the gate pretty fast, but then slowed for the second quarter mile," Prado recapped. "I wound up running up on heels on the backside. I just eased him outside a bit and he was running in a comfortable spot. Once he made the lead that's when he really took off."

Tamborim was visiting the winner's circle for the first time since he broke his maiden in an off-the-turf event at Arlington in early September. The dark bay now brandishes a 5-2-0-1, $84,226, mark.