6th-Gulfstream, $73,420, Alw (C)/Opt. Clm ($62,500), 3-2, 4yo/up, 7f, 1:22.47, ft, 1/2 length.
KINGSBARNS (c, 4, Uncle Mo–Lady Tapit {GSP}, by Tapit), last year's GII Louisiana Derby winner, made his return to the races Saturday off nearly a nine-month layoff. A player on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, the son of Uncle Mo wound up 14th behind Mage (Good Magic) under the TwinSpires and finished his 3-year-old season beaten just a neck as the heavy favorite in the Pegasus S. at Monmouth June 17. Confidently bet at 3-5 in his first trip back to Gulfstream since breaking his maiden in Jan. 2023, Kingsbarns was outrun by much of the field through the opening half mile in :44.52 as Vivir Con Alegria (Chi) (Flyer {Chi}) led. The pace began to catch up to the frontrunner and Kingsbarns swung off the turn three wide with a clear path to go by, doing so inside the final sixteenth to pick up the half-length win. Vivir Con Alegria held second at odds of 12-1. An $800,000 2-year-old buy for Spendthrift Farm, Kingsbarns is out of a half to GISW Gozzip Girl (Dynaformer). Lady Tapi's now 2-year-old Gun Runner colt sold as a yearling for $650,000 at Keeneland last September. She foaled a Munnings filly in 2023 and visited Not This Time for this year. Sales History: $250,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG; $800,000 2yo '22 FTFMAR. Lifetime Record: GSW, 6-4-1-0, $731,100. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-Parks Investment Group, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.
Last year's GII Louisiana Derby winner #5 KINGSBARNS ($3.20) made his return to the races a winning one, getting up in the nick of time to win race 6 at Gulfstream Park.
The son of @coolmoreamerica's Uncle Mo was ridden by Luis Suez for @PletcherRacing and @spendthriftfarm. pic.twitter.com/QD7h1JQno4
— TVG (@TVG) March 2, 2024
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