By Jill Williams
Billed as a showdown between the classy Mufasa (Chi) (Practical Joke) and the 2023 GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner White Abarrio (Race Day), Gulfstream Park's Saturday feature, the GIII Mr. Prospector Stakes at seven furlongs, didn't disappoint. Mufasa got a perfect stalking trip which turned into a resounding win, while White Abarrio was slow out of the gate and trailed early before making a late run that couldn't quite catch Mufasa in the stretch. Little Vic (Practical Joke), the 2023 GIII Tom Fool Handicap winner, was third.
Winner of the GIII Vosburgh Stakes over the same distance Sept 28, Carlos Saavedra and Stud Vendaval's Mufasa was exiting a flubbed effort in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Nov. 2 won by Full Serrano (Arg) (Full Mast). Rank early that day, he was never a factor after weakening late.
The Mr. Prospector marked his return to seven panels, a distance the dark bay has tried five times in his career and in which he's never been beaten. Prior to the Vosburgh, Mufasa had taken an optional allowance at Colonial Downs at the distance–setting a new track record of 1:19.86 while getting a 99 Beyer Speed Figure–and he has also won twice at seven furlongs in his native Chile. In addition to his pair of graded wins in the U.S. under the tutelage of Ignacio Correas IV, Mufasa also won a Group 3 in Chile for Ximeno Francisco Urenda Pastene while going 1 1/8 miles.
Mufasa broke cleanly in the Mr. Prospector while White Abarrio stuttered slightly, just enough to immediately find himself a half step behind. A joint last early, White Abarrio was forced to play catch up while Mufasa settled kindly into the second spot behind a pacesetting MGISW in Super Chow (Lord Nelson). The latter covered a first quarter in :22.77 and a half in :45.41 with Mufasa glued to his flank as White Abarrio, who captured a Nov. 22 optional allowance at Gulfstream by 10 1/4 lengths after unplaced efforts in the G1 Saudi Cup and GI Met Mile earlier this year, unfurled his stride on the turn, but Mufasa already had command at the top of the lane and was kept on task and in the clear by Tyler Gaffalione. White Abarrio swung wide into the stretch and despite being willing, had too much to do and couldn't catch Mufasa after linking up with Little Vic for the final strides. Mufasa's margin of victory was 1 1/4 lengths, with White Abarrio a neck in front of Little Vic.
Pleased with Mufasa's win, Correas was eager to cross a line through the Dirt Mile. “I saw the horse [Saturday] that I saw in the Vosburgh and I saw in the race at Colonial Downs,” he said. “I thought that was probably my mistake [in the Breeders' Cup] thinking it was better to go two turns than stay sprinting. We talked with the owners and that was the decision we made, probably not the right one. We're going to try to keep him sprinting and see where he takes us.”
“He's a tremendously talented colt,” said Gaffalione of Mufasa. “He put me in the game, put me where I needed to be, traveled great throughout, gave me a ton of confidence coming into the stretch, and finished the job well.”
White Abarrio's connections weren't unhappy with his effort. “You always want to win,” said trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. “Did we think we were going to win before the race? Yes. But considering the circumstances, he ran hard. I looked back at a certain point and I was, like, 'Whoa.' I couldn't believe how far back he was. He's never been that far back in his life. As much dirt as he took, I was happy to see him run through that. He looked like he was finishing as good as you can finish.”
Pedigree Notes:
Coolmore America's Practical Joke is the sire of 29 graded winners from his 43 black-type winners. In addition to his North American success, where his winners this year at the highest level include H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes victor Domestic Product and Test Stakes victress Ways and Means, he's had a number of Group 1 winners in Chile, including champions El Oriente (Chi), Soqui (Chi), and Richi (Chi). The latter has been imported to the U.S. and served as the workmate to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) Saturday. Those three champions, like Mufasa and four other graded Practical Joke winners, are all out of daughters of Coolmore's late Scat Daddy. Practical Joke was also represented by a new 'TDN Rising Star' Saturday at Aqueduct in Captain Cook.
Miscanti's five reported foals have all been by Coolmore sires, with her most recent being a yearling colt by Tiz the Law named Millelche (Chi). In addition to Mufasa, she has also produced a black-type performer in Mistela (Chi) (Classic Empire). The mare is a great-granddaughter of Mi Quimera (Arg), Argentina's champion 2-year-old filly of 1980. Despite Mufasa's second dam being foaled in Florida, the female family has been in South America since being imported from England in the late 1800s.
#6 MUFASA ($10.20) held off a fast closing White Abarrio to win the $165,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) at @GulfstreamPark. The 5yo son @CoolmoreAmerica's Practical Joke had @tyler_gaff in the irons for trainer @IgnacioCorreas. pic.twitter.com/CIwyJEAOTJ
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) December 28, 2024
Saturday, Gulfstream Park
MR. PROSPECTOR S.-GIII, $150,000, Gulfstream, 12-28, 3yo/up, 7f, 1:22.47, ft.
1–MUFASA (CHI), 126, h, 5, by Practical Joke
1st Dam: Miscanti (Chi), by Scat Daddy
2nd Dam: Miqui, by Western Cat
3rd Dam: Mi Quimera (Arg), by Good Manners
($950,000 RNA 5yo '24 KEECHA). O-Carlos Saavedra & Stud
Vendaval, Inc.; B-Haras Paso Nevado (CHI); T-Ignacio Correas
IV; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $88,350. Lifetime Record: GSW-Chi,
15-11-0-0, $339,191. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–White Abarrio, 122, h, 5, Race Day–Catching Diamonds, by
Into Mischief. ($7,500 Ylg '20 OBSWIN; $40,000 2yo '21
OBSMAR). O-C 2 Racing Stable, Prince Faisal bin Khaled bin
Abdulaziz Al-Saud & Pagnano, Antonio; B-Spendthrift Farm LLC
(KY); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. $28,500.
3–Little Vic, 122, h, 5, Practical Joke–Rock and Glory, by Rock
Hard Ten. ($50,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Victoria's Ranch;
B-Stride Sales and Syndicate (KY); T-Juan Carlos Avila. $14,250.
Margins: 1 1/4, NK, 3 3/4. Odds: 4.10, 0.40, 71.30.
Also Ran: Caramel Chip, Playmea Tune, Super Chow, Mr Skylight, Illuminare, Real Macho, El Principito. Scratched: Gordian Knot, Shaq Diesel. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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