Ami’s Flatter Wins in Return at Gulfstream

HorseracingFLA Staff Report

Ami’s Flatter, the third place finisher in last year’s Florida Derby (Grade 1) returned to Gulfstream Park on Wednesday and was the impressive winner of an allowance race at seven furlongs.

The 4-year-old Ontario-bred son of Flatter won in 1:21.58 over a main track listed as good, beating Muntij by four lengths.  Juan and Bina finished third, another 10 ¼ lengths behind.

John Velazquez rode Ami’s Flatter, who is trained by Josie Carrol.

Breaking from post eight in the nine-horse field of 4-year olds and up as the 6-5 favorite, Ami’s Flatter raced uncharacteristically close to a 22.62-second quarter mile set by Sun Magic and a 45.71 half from To the Victor.

Sitting in the clear three wide down the backstretch, Ami’s Flatter took command at the top of the stretch and shook off a bid from Muntij before drawing away impressively.

“He never breaks that sharp but he’s been off a good while so I think he was just feeling good. Once he was in that position, Johnny just sat on him,” Carrol said. “He’s such a good judge of what he has under him, I really wasn’t worried. I knew who was on him and I figured he’s not going to be there if he doesn’t have horse.”

Wednesday’s race was the first for Ami’s Flatter since last July 5 when he finished eighth in the Queen’s Plate, the biggest race for Canadian bred 3-year-olds.  That race is at Woodbine in Etobicoke, Ont.

“We were really excited about running this horse back,’ Carrol said. “He had a pretty exciting campaign last year and got very fatigued at the end of it so it was nice to see him come back in good order.”

Ami’s Flatter opened his 3-year-old campaign running second in the Mucho Macho Man last January at Gulfstream.

From there he was fourth in the Sam Davis (G3), second in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and third in the Florida Derby (Grade 1) before returning to Carrol’s northern base at Woodbine.

Carrol said she will see how Ami’s Flatter comes out before picking out a return spot.

“He’s really a lovely animal,” she said. “This was our first step and now we’ll sort of focus on where we’ll go next.”

Gulfstream Park Jan. 13 – eighth race

8 – AMIFLATTER            4.40 3.40 2.60

2 -MUNTIJ                              4.20 2.80

5 -JUAN AND BINA                             2.80

$2 EXACTA 8-2 PAID $20.60; $1 TRIFECTA 8-2-5

PAID $28.10; 10 CENT SUPERFECTA 8-2-5-1  PAID

$7.33; $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE 8-2-5-1-4  PAID $381.10

Upcoming Races

Gulfstream will have ten races today with first post at  12:35 p.m.  Conditions are fast and firm.

On Saturday, Gulfstream will have its annual Sunshine Millions with six stakes races restricted to Florida breds.

First post for the 12-race card is 12:05 p.m. The feature is the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Classic at 1 1/8 miles on dirt for 4-year-olds and up. It is the 11^th race with scheduled post time of

The race has ten entrants—headed by Saraguaro, Sr. Quisqueyano and Catholic Cowboy.

On Nov. 7 Saraguaro won the 1 1/16 mile Millions Classic Preview, at Calder during the Gulfstream Park West meet.

Sr. Quisqueyano won last year’s Sunshine Millions Classic, a race in which Catholic Cowboy finished third.

 

Ami’s Flatter Wins in Return at Gulfstream