Happy Holiday Weekend for Mr. Speaker and River Seven
A Happy Holiday Weekend for Mr. Speaker and River Seven at the 2013 Dania Beach Stakes and Harlan’s Holiday Stakes
Mr. Speaker and jockey Jose Lezcano won the 2013 Dania Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Photo: Kenny Martin, Coglianese Photos
This was a busy race weekend. First, Mr. Speaker took home the $100,000 purse at the grade 3 Dania Beach Stakes on Saturday December 21st at Gulfstream Park. This is the first graded victory after an October 14th maiden win at Belmont Park for Mr. Speaker and the win was a 10-1 surprise. Mr. Speaker took the win by powering through a gap and accelerated ahead for a big win by 2 ¾ lengths. Mr. Speaker completed the firm course distance in 1:36.60.
Mr. Speaker, a Pulpit colt, is trained by Shug McGaughey. McGaughey said of Mr. Speaker and Saturday’s race “He showed me a lot of class down the stretch…It didn’t bother me that he wasn’t on the lead today.”
Mr. Speaker’s jockey Jose Lezcano, “rode him really good, getting him into position on the backside,” McGaughey said.
Rounding out the top three in the race for 2 year olds, were Cabo Cat in 2nd place and Pleuven in 3rd.
After the Dania Beach Stakes, the races at Gulfstream Park continued to generate excitement with the Harlan’s Holiday Stakes on Sunday December 22nd at the Harlan’s Holiday Stakes. River Seven took home $100,000 prize and broke a Gulfstream record, posting a time of 1:41.76 over the old standard of 1:41.81, which was set by It’s My Lucky Day. River Seven a 3-year-old, has had a good season as a turf racer, trained by Nick Gonzalez, but has proven he can do more as he had a great run on the dirt track at Harlan’s Holiday Stakes. River Seven had 12-1 odds going into the race.
River Seven took home $100,000 prize and broke a Gulfstream Park record, posting a time of 1:41.76 in the 2013 Harlan’s Holiday Stakes.
Photo: Kenny Martin, Coglianese Photos
Joe Rocco Jr. served as River Seven’s jockey for the 1 1/16 mile race, and he said of River Seven, “He was going so good that when I asked him to step on it he really accelerated.”
Csaba came in second, and Bourbon Courage, the 7-5 favorite came in third to round out the top three.
2013 Dania Beach Stakes Results and Payouts
7-Mr Speaker, 23.40, 12.40, 9.20
4-Cabo Cat, 28.00, 11.00
2-Pleuven (FR), 4.40
Also ran: 5.Yes I’m Lucky, 1.Imaginethatmom, 8.Here’s Johnny, 9.Hesinfront, 6.Bon Accord, 3.Request
2013 Harlan’s Holiday Stakes Results and Payouts
6-River Seven, 27.0, 8.60, 3.80
2-Csaba, 5.20, 3.20
3- Bourbon Courage, 2.40
Also ran: 1.Neck ‘n Neck, 4.Purple Egg, 7.Reveron, 8.Joshua’s Comprise, 5.Sr. Quisqueyano
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