A winner of a Aug. 6 Saratoga maiden and a Oct. 12 Keeneland allowance by a combined 6 3/4 lengths, Fact Finding kept his perfect record in tact with a daylight black-type win at Gulfstream Park Saturday, giving trainer Todd Pletcher his fourth win of the day, and pilot John Velazquez his third victory. Establishing a half-length lead out of the chute, the grey was under fire from slight second choice Basha from there. Those two raced in lockstep as noses pointed toward home, but Fact Finding rebuffed that rival's bid at the top of the straight and cantered clear to an easy victory, becoming the second black-type winner for his freshman sire (by War Front). “He showed us today that he should be able to handle the stretch-out from a mile,” said Pletcher. “The time stacked up favorable for the day. It was a quality effort from him. He's kind of handled everything we've asked of him to do so far. The owners have been very patient letting him find his way along. He's very laid back in the morning. We really weren't sure what we had until we ran him. He's one of those horses that kind of saves himself in the morning.” Swingtime S. heroine Sweet Belle foaled a filly by Orb in 2015. She was bred back to Tonalist later this spring. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
SMOOTH AIR S., $75,000, GP, 12-10, 2yo, 1m, 1:36.98, sy.
1–#FACT FINDING, 118, c, 2, by The Factor
1st Dam: Sweet Belle (SW & GSP, $307,649),
by Deputy Commander
2nd Dam: Sanibel Sole, by Miswaki
3rd Dam: Sole, by Topsider
($100,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP; 350,000gns 2yo '16 TATBRE). O-M.
Tabor, M. Magnier, D. Smith & Stonestreet Stables LLC;
B-Nursery Place & Partners (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-John R.
Velazquez. $45,570. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $132,570.
*Second SW for his freshman sire (by War Front).
2–Basha, 118, c, 2, Uncle Mo–Lemonette, by Lemon Drop Kid.
($49,000 RNA Ylg '15 FTKJUL; $130,000 Ylg '15 FTKOCT;
$230,000 2yo '16 OBSMAR). O-Gelfenstein Farm; B-Normandy
Farm LLC (KY); T-Gilberto Zerpa. $14,700.
3–Skinflint, 116, c, 2, Super Saver–Grand Charmer, by Lord
Avie. ($175,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-PTK, LLC; B-Brandywine
Farm (Jim & Pam Robinson) (KY); T-Dane Kobiskie. $7,350.
Margins: 7, 2 3/4, 4 3/4. Odds: 1.60, 1.70, 70.20.[bullet ad=”brandywine-bredraised”]Also Ran: My Friend, Arrecife, Capitaine, Storming My Way. Scratched: Sweetontheladies.
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