Horse Racing FLA

Super Spender edges Little Baltar in turf sprint at GP West

By Jim Freer
Friday, Oct.  9 -- Super Spender, trained by Jane Cibelli, edged Little  Baltar by  a  nose in  Friday's feature  at the Gulfstream Park West meet at Calder.

The result came on the third  day of the GP West meet, and provided an indication that the snowbird trainers and their horses are starting to arrive back  in South Florida  and that some of them will  be major forces in allowance and stakes races.

Super Spender, the 2-1 favorite, won in 57.89 seconds in the five furlong turf allowance  for 3-year-olds and up.  The course was listed as firm  The race had a  $39,000 purse.

Super Spender was ridden by Matthew Rispoli.  It was the  first  race of the  GP West  season for Cibelli, who had been based at  Monmouth Park in Oceanport,  N.J.,  since May with her stable oF several dozen horses.

Cibelli had 14 wins in last year's eight-week GP West meet--tieing her for fourth place among trainers. She did that in just 44 races.  Super Spender's win suggests that Cibelli,  a  native of Great Britain, could  be headed  toward another strong season at GP West and later at Gulfstream Park' s championship meet

For the second straight fall. Gulfstream is holding the GP West meet under a  lease agreement  with Calder.

Super Spender and Little Baltar were in fourth and third place,  respectively, in mid-stretch. Super Spender found  an opening along the rail, and Little Baltar made a late run on the outside. After reviewing the photo, the placing judges declared Super Spender the winner.

The 3-year-old colt Little Baltar was sent off at 13-1, third highest odds in the eight-horse field. He was ridden by Jeffrey Sanchez  for  trainer Carlo Vaccarezza.   More Applause, the leader in mid-stretch, finished third--a half length behind Little Baltar.

The $2 exacta paid $58.40.

Super Spender, a  3-year-old gelding,  won for the third time in 11 career starts.  The other two victories were early this year at five furlongs  on turf at Gulfstream.  He is a son of Super Saver,  the 2010 Kentucky Derby winner.

Little Baltar's  second place finish continued Vaccarezza's strong start at GP West.  In three races, he also has win and a third place finish.