Apriority overcomes stumble, takes Mr. Prospector

A season of futility in stakes company for Donald Dizney's four-year-old

homebred Apriority ended on a brighter note in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000

Mr.

Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream Park. A potentially costly stumble leaving the

gate nearly derailed the colt's chance at a first added-money victory, but the

bay recovered sufficiently to reach contention down the backside and then

rallied up the inside to deny long-time leader Zero Rate Policy by a head bob at

the wire.

Under pressure from Immortal Eyes and The Hunk through an opening quarter in

:22 1/5, Zero Rate Policy edged away from that pair around the far turn while

Apriority, who went to his nose at the start, sat chilly in fourth while racing

closest to the rail. Zero Rate Policy reached the half in :44 3/5 and then

extended his margin to one length at the top of the stretch, with Apriority now

posing the most serious threat inside the final eighth. Under a heavy drive by

Luis Saez, Apriority pulled even with Zero Rate Policy in the final yards and

won by a nose with Indiano a half-length behind in third. The final time for six

furlongs on a fast track was 1:09 1/5.

"I thought we were done at the start after he stumbled so bad. We're

lucky the jock stayed on," trainer David Fawkes said "It's amazing what

he overcame to win it. When he got back in contention at the top of the

stretch it was a matter of inside, outside. (Saez) waited and waited and

then made the right choice and got through.