Favorable Outcome earns first stakes win in Swale

Favorable Outcome recorded his first stakes victory while cutting back to a dirt sprint Saturday in the $200,000 Swale (G2) at Gulfstream Park. He rallied from last to overhaul 4-5 favorite Three Rules in deep stretch and edged away to score by three-quarters of a length in the 7-furlong event for 3-year-olds.

Owned by Klaravich Stables and William H. Lawrence, the Chad Brown-trained Flatter colt was ridden by Javier Castellano.

Favorable Outcome won at first asking in a 6-furlong maiden at Saratoga and followed with a third in the Champagne (G1) at Belmont Park. He switched surfaces and made his first two-turn start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Santa Anita, but never fired retreating to be well-beaten 12^th.

“I just freshened him up after the Breeders' Cup,” Brown said. “I really didn't have a plan up until a month ago. I told the owners look, let me just start breezing him. Obviously, we planned on keeping him sprinting and on dirt.

“About three weeks ago I just started breezing him and he was much fitter than I thought. I looked at the race and I figured let's run him in here and if he wins that would be great knowing that he is not even a 100% fit and it should set up well for him and we can build on it. He ran terrific; he should get a lot out of it.”

Favorable Outcome was off as the 2-1 second choice among six runners.

Derek’s Smile sped to the front at the break and established an opening quarter-mile in :23.02 before giving way to Sonic Mule on the far turn. Favorable Outcome trailed but was never far back, only three lengths behind after a half-mile in :45.88.

Three Rules was always prominently placed and surged to the lead leaving the far turn. Favorable Outcome advanced four wide into contention but still had a length to make up as Three Rules reached the eighth pole in 1:10.50.

Three Rules proved game when challenged but Favorable Outcome kept charging on the far outside to prove best, stopping the teletimer in 1:23.03. Three Rules wound up 2 3/4 lengths clear of 4-1 Sonic Mile in third.

“We had a plan before the race,” Castellano said. “He broke well out of the gate and I took my time and they went pretty quick early. I had to come around wide on the outside a little bit but I think that was the key to win the race. We had a lot of patience in the beginning and it paid off in the end. I felt like I had plenty of horse. I didn't use him early in the race and I knew when I asked he'd respond, and he did. I think he'll take another step forward. He's a young horse, a nice horse and still developing.”

The chestnut has now earned $222,560 from four starts.

Bred in Kentucky by Charles Matses, Favorable Outcome sold for $300,000 at the OBS March 2-year-old sale. He’s out of the stakes-winning Eltish mare Shananie’s Song and counts stakes winner and Grade 2-placed filly Bellamentary as a half-sister.

“I thought at the sixteenth pole he might feel the shortage of works there but he showed a lot of heart today and he showed he is a really talented horse,” Brown added. “I thought Javier judged his ride just right. It’s going to be a campaign of just one-turn dirt races this whole year. There's a lot of good races for 3-year-olds in that category.”