HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Fulmine was claimed for $50,000 out of his maiden win at 2 and is now a stakes winner after rallying to a 2 3/4-length victory over Wootun Saturday at Gulfstream Park in the $125,000 Hutcheson Stakes.
Diciassette finished third as the 3-5 favorite after stumbling at the start.
Fulmine had won two of five starts coming into his stakes debut since haltered by trainer J Kent Sweezey for the Starry Night Racing Stable out of his maiden win last fall at Churchill Downs. He was coming back on just 15 days' rest in the six-furlong Hutcheson, after shipping to Tampa Bay Downs to win a high-priced optional claiming and allowance race with a lifetime best 75 Beyer Speed Figure going six furlongs in his previous start.
Fulmine was allowed to settle within easy striking distance by jockey Jose Morelos in the run down the backstretch, was sharply roused to engage Wootun in early stretch before readily pulling away under steady urging to the wire. The latter controlled the pace, came out to engage Fulmine at the head of the stretch, proved no match and was easily second-best.
Diciassette lost all chance after bobbling at the break before rallying mildly without menacing the top two. Sweeping Shadow finished fourth, followed by I’m Sam and Freaky Neeks. The undefeated Arbiter, who figured to be a major pace factor and potential favorite, was scratched earlier in the day in lieu of running here next Saturday on the turf in the $125,000 Texas Glitter Stakes.
Fulmine completed six furlongs over the fast track in 1:10.82 seconds and paid $9.80.
“I liked what I saw in his first race, he kind of ran in spots, and big horses can be green the first time out,” Sweezey said when ask why he dropped the claim slip on Fulmine before his second start.
“He came right back to win the starter and he showed speed. After running him twice on grass, we decided to try putting him back on the dirt going six furlongs at Tampa. That worked out nicely, so I called the office and nominated him for this race not long after he crossed the wire.”
Sweezey conceded his horse didn’t beat “a stellar field” in the Hutcheson, but acknowledged he was very happy just to get a stakes win.
“There have been some very nice horses who have won the Hutcheson and I’m very happy to have my name on that list,” Sweezey said with a laugh. “And when the favorite (Diciassette) stumbled out of the gate I knew we had a couple of lengths on him. And that it would take some running to catch us.”
Mythical notched her fifth career stakes win and did so in style, rallying to a two-length victory over the pacesetting Sweet Ember in the $125,000 Any Limit for 3-year-old fillies. A Fine Chardonnay finished third.
Mythical’s final time of 1:09.40 seconds for six furlongs established a stakes record, eclipsing the old mark of 1:09.51 set by the multiple graded stakes winner Frank’s Rockette in 2020.
Mythical’s four stakes victories at 2 included the Grade 3 Adirondack at Saratoga as well as the Susan’s Girl and My Dear Girl divisions of the Florida Sire Series. She had finished a disappointing fifth making her 3-year-old debut earlier this winter in the Grade 3 Forward Gal, a race in which she was forced to run in the deeper footing along the rail from the outset.
With Edgard Zayas aboard, Mythical broke alertly, then was taken in hand to stalk Sweet Ember, who came into the race having won her last two starts, including a statebred allowance dash by 9 1/2 lengths on February 26. Mythical overtook the leader approaching the quarter pole, edged clear while kept wide into the stretch, and held sway under steady urging before galloping out far in front into the clubhouse turn.
Sweet Ember held on once displaced on the lead, finishing 2 1/4 lengths clear of stakes winner A Fine Chardonnay to be second. Hollen Drive and Tizasweetlady rounded out the order of finish. Dee’s on Dow was scratched.
Mythical, an Arindel homebred trained by Jorge Delgado, paid $4.40.
““That was very nice. Brilliant final time. Brilliant race,” said Delgado, who added he was very happy Mythical was drawn outside the other speed in the field as opposed to inside, as she had been in the Forward Gal.
“When she posts outside she’s a different horse. She gets to relax and to feel free,” Delgado explained. “Post position I think was key today. She galloped out very well. It was very impressive the way she traveled and the way she closed because they were going pretty fast and she kept going. She didn’t show any signs of being tired.”
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