Buffalo Man proves best in Bid

Ol Memorial Stable and C E Glasscock's BUFFALO MAN (El Prado [Ire]) took over

the lead turning for home and held off all challengers in taking the $77,750

Spectacular Bid S. at Gulfstream

Park on Sunday. Breaking well from his outside post,

the winner was always in striking range while traveling in hand on the outside,

then was asked for his best by Eddie Castro on the final turn and responded,

completing the six furlongs in a solid 1:09 3/5 on the fast dirt. The Cam Gambolati charge was

sent off as the 7-2 third choice and rewarded backers with payoffs of $9.40, $4

and $2.60.

"This is a very good horse," Castro said. "He can settle and come with a run.

He's got a really nice punch."

Out of Gwedda (Out of Place) broke alertly, lost ground while in traffic

around the final turn, but rallied well when clear late in a good runner-up

performance. The 9-5 choice was one length shy of the top one at the wire and

paid $3.20 and $2.80, while completing the $18.60 exacta ($1). Green Vegas (Trippi)

closed well from off the pace but could do no better than third another neck

behind, good for $2.80 at 4-1. The winning $1 trifecta was worth $58.90, while

the 7-2-5-4 superfecta ($1) with the 62-1 James Wilfred (Trippi) in fourth returned

$360.60 ($1). The 2-1 second choice, Straight Faced (Straight Man), pacesetter Voodoouthinkur (Grand Slam) and Pop Goes the Tiger (Tiger Ridge) completed the

order of finish.

Buffalo Man added a second stakes score in here after eclipsing the Storm Cat

S. in his latest effort, and upped his bankroll to $147,700 from a 6-4-0-1 mark.

The bay colt was a close third in the Sapling S. (G3) three prior.

Bred in Ontario, Canada, by Adena Springs, Buffalo Man was sold for $190,000

as a two-year-old in training at last year's Adena Springs March sale. He was produced from the

four-time stakes-winning Perfect Six (Saratoga Six), who was also third in the

1998 Hollywood Starlet S. (G1). The winner has a pair of unnamed half-siblings,

a two-year-old filly by Awesome Again and a yearling colt by Olmodavor. 

"I helped pick this horse out of the Adena Springs sale," Gambolati

said. "He showed promise before he ever started."

Gambolati mentioned the February 3 Holy Bull S. (G3) or a stakes on the

February 12 OBS Championship program at Ocala as possible options for his next

start.

"We'll talk it over, but after the way he ran today, I guess it's time to try

the big boys," the trainer said. "We'll just go one race at a time."