Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Lopez Returns with Super Hi-5 Winner

The carried-over Super Hi-5 was hit in Wednesday's first  race at  the Gulfstream Park West meet and it paid $537.00 for the minimum $1  bet.

Celtic  Embrace, the 8-5 favorite, won the race with Paco Lopez riding. It was Lopez's first win in just his second start at the GP West meet, which  is  held at Calder. 

He returned to South Florida on Tuesday after spending the summer and fall riding at Monmouth Park in New Jersey and at other  tracks in  northern  states.

The Super Hi-5 carryover coming in was $1,753.03.  Bettors added $2,449 to the pool.

There were seven starters. Here is the order of  finish, with program numbers in parentheses followed by odds.
First -- Celtic Embrace  (2)    8-5
Second -- Break Away   (1)  4
Third -- Fist Bump (4)     6
Fourth -- Bruna (7)    3
Fifth --  Likeagirl (3)   4


The race was an $18,000 claimer at 1 1/16 miles on turf  for fillies and  mares three-years-old and up that had never won  two races.

The 3-year-old Celtic Embrace won in 1:44.61 on  the course listed as firm. She  raced second  behind Bruna until the far turn.


She and Lopez took the lead entering the straightaway and held off  Break Away to win by a length.

Kathleen  O'Connell  trains Celtic Embrace for Matalona Thoroughbreds.

Celtic Enbrace  was  Lopez's only mount on Wednesday's card.  He will no doubt have many  multiple mount days during the remainder of the GP  west meet and at the Gulfstream Park championship meet that begins Dec.  3.
 Lopez finished fourth in wins at the 2015-2016 Gulfstream championsip meet.
--Jim Freer


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