Stonetastic did what she does best, running her rivals off their feet to score a never-in-doubt victory in the Inside Information. Bumping slightly with her outside neighbor as she gunned out of the eight-hole, the chalk took up her preferred position at the head of affairs and blazed along the rail through hot early fractions of :21.84 and :44.35. Clocking three-quarters in 1:09.83, the 5-year-old cruised home full speed ahead to secure another decisive win in Hallandale.
“I knew [Flutterby] wanted to make the lead, too, so I used her a little bit coming out of the gate to make the lead,” winning rider Paco Lopez remarked. “I made the lead and she held it. I know she hadn't won at seven furlongs but she did it very well. She's a very nice filly. When she makes the lead like that, she's tough to beat.”
As for her next start, winning conditioner Kelly Breen said, “There's a race right back at Keeneland, the [GI] Madison [S. Apr. 9]. There's a six-furlong race for $150,000 at Oaklawn [the Carousel H. Apr. 14]. I'll talk to Andrew Burns in New York, so New York's a possibility. Nothing's set in stone just yet. Five weeks in between races is probably ideal, and that puts us right on the game plan for the undercard of the [GI Kentucky] Oaks [in the GI Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs May 6].”
Stonetastic, who demolished her rivals with an 8 1/2-length success in the 2014 GII Prioress S. at Saratoga, returned to the scene of that triumph for last August's Shine Again S. after eight months on the bench. Finishing a neck second in that return after being run down late by subsequent GI Ballerina S. winner Unbridled Forever (Unbridled's Song), the fleet gray romped by 15 3/4 lengths next out in what was equal to a paid workout in a Parx allowance Sept. 1. Fading to eighth after chasing speedy champion La Verdad (Yes It's True) through the early stages of the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint at Keeneland Oct. 31, Stonetastic finished second to the reopposing Best Behavior when not allowed to have her things her own way in Gulfstream's GII Sugar Swirl S. Dec. 26 and came into Saturday's race off an equally dominant wire-to-wire success in the local Miami Shores H. Feb. 14.
The winner's dam Special Me (Unbridled's Song) is a half-sister to millionaire, U.A.E. Highweight and G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Our New Recruit (Alphabet Soup). Her 3-year-old colt Gift Box (Twirling Candy) graduated at second asking at Belmont Oct. 3 and was third in the GII Remsen S. last time Nov. 28 for trainer Chad Brown and owner W.S. Farish. She is also produced a 2-year-old full-sister to Stonetastic named Divergent Thinking, who sold for $270,000 at last term's Keeneland September sale, and a yearling colt by Candy Ride (Arg). Special Me was bred back to Speightstown.
Saturday, Gulfstream Park
INSIDE INFORMATION S.-GII, $200,000, GP, 3-19, 4yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:23.22, ft.
1–STONETASTIC, 121, m, 5, by Mizzen Mast
1st Dam: Special Me, by Unbridled's Song
2nd Dam: Delta Danielle, by Lord Avie
3rd Dam: Domasco Danielle, by Same Direction
($77,000 Ylg '12 KEESEP). O-Stoneway Farm; B-Machmer Hall,
Carrie & Craig Brogden (KY); T-Kelly J Breen; J-Paco Lopez.
$117,800. Lifetime Record: 16-6-3-3, $629,862. *1/2 to Gift
Box (Twirling Candy), GSP. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”machmer-hall-born-and-raised”][bullet ad=”selectsales-shell”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]2–Tiger Ride, 123, f, 4, Candy Ride (Arg)–Royal Tigress, by
Storm Cat. O/B-Dixiana Farms LLC (KY); T-H. Graham Motion.
$38,000.
3–Engaginglee, 117, m, 5, Fusaichi Pegasus–Lee Gage, by Fit to
Fight. O/B-Paul A Lichtefeld & Jack D Stewart (KY); T-Dale L
Romans. $19,000.
Margins: 3 3/4, HF, 3. Odds: 1.20, 11.70, 41.10.
Also Ran: You Bought Her, Best Behavior, Bar of Gold, Miss Melinda, Kiss to Remember, Dogwood Trail, Flutterby.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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