Annex took his record to three-for-three with his second straight stakes victory in Gulfstream's Cutler Bay S. Rallying to victory in his career bow over course and distance Jan. 16, the 'TDN Rising Star' captured the Palm Beach S. in Hallandale next out Feb. 27 and was favored to repeat here. Sitting a bit closer to the pace in a joint fourth, the flashy chestnut raced off the fence through a :24.06 opening quarter and :47.78 half-mile. Swung out three wide turning for home, the even-money favorite surged up alongside Fulmini and It Can Be Done in late stretch and out-boxed those foes to the wire for a narrow success.
“It's always a special to race for Mr. Mott,” said winning rider Junior Alvarado. “He lets you do what you think is right in a race. Today, there wasn't much pace on paper. He broke good. He put himself in a good spot and I wasn't going to take anything away from him. After that, I just kept picking it up little by little. He's still very green, which makes my job a little challenging, but he got it done.”
The winner's dam You Make Me Sing is a half-sister to MGISW and multi-millionaire You (You and I), who produced GSW You and I Forever (A.P. Indy) and SW & GSP Causeway's Kin (Giant's Causeway). She produced an Honor Code colt in 2019 and a filly by that sire in 2020. She was bred back to Mitole. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
CUTLER BAY S., $100,000, Gulfstream, 3-27, 3yo, 1mT, 1:34.33, fm.
1–ANNEX, 120, c, 3, by Constitution
1st Dam: You Make Me Sing, by Unbridled's Song
2nd Dam: Our Dani, by Homebuilder
3rd Dam: Lovely Briar, by Briartic
($65,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-LNJ Foxwoods and Eclipse
Thoroughbred Partners; B-William Harrigan & Mike
Pietrangelo (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Junior Alvarado. $60,140.
Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $144,280. 'TDN Rising Star'
2–Fulmini, 118, c, 3, Overdriven–Gina's Kitten, by Kitten's Joy.
O-Bell Racing, LLC; B-Gina D'Amato (FL); T-Carlos A. David.
$19,400.
3–It Can Be Done, 120, g, 3, Temple City–Gotham City Girl, by
Freud. O/B-Red Oak Stable (KY); T-Gregory D. Sacco. $9,700.
Margins: NK, NO, 3/4. Odds: 1.10, 29.60, 12.70.
Also Ran: Lucky Law (Ire), Hyperfocus, King of Dreams, Fighting Force, Step Dancer. Scratched: Whatmakessammyrun.
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