Greyvitos breaks maiden in Bob Hope

Triple B Farms’ Greyvitos came into Saturday’s $100,345 Bob Hope Stakes (G3) winless from two starts, but exited the seven-furlong Del Mar feature with his first lifetime victory.

The Malibu Moon juvenile grabbed command soon after the start and never looked back, posting splits of :22.66, :45.20 and 1:09.56 under jockey Victor Espinoza. Mourinho threatened the gray colt in the lane, but Greyvitos turned back the challenge to finish 1 1/2 lengths in front.

Sent off the 19-1 second longest shot on the board, Greyvitos paid $41.80 for stopping the clock in 1:22.20. Mourinho finished second, 7 3/4 lengths in front of third-placer Beautiful Shot, while Italiano, Run Away and Here is Happy completed the order under the wire.

The Adam Kitchingman-trained Greyvitos was no factor when finishing eighth while making his career debut going a mile over the turf at Santa Anita Park on July 1. The gray juvenile wasn’t seen in competition again until showing up over that track’s main dirt on October 21 for a third-place effort while going 5 1/2 furlongs.

With this first win, Greyvitos now boasts a 3-1-0-1 career mark and $66,345 In lifetime earnings.

Bred in Virginia by Audley Farm Equine, Greyvitos is the first registered stakes scorer out of the multiple Grade 3-winning Najran mare Snow Top Mountain. His second dam is the unraced Storm Cat mare Motokiks, who also produced multiple Grade 3-winning millionaire Keertana and Grade 2 heroine Diversy Harbor. Keertana is herself responsible for foaling this year’s Palm Beach Stakes (G3) victor Ticonderoga.

This female family also includes Group 1 conqueror and dual Italian highweight Knifebox as well as multiple Grade 1 queen Spoken Fur.