NEWS
Duke of Mischief wins off-the-turf Ft. Lauderdale
Posted: Sunday, January 10, 2010 6:35 PM
DUKE OF MISCHIEF
Coglianese Photos
To view a video replay of the Ft. Lauderdale Stakes, click here.
by Mike Curry
Duke of Mischief emerged from an exciting three-horse battle in the stretch to win the $100,000 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes by a neck on Sunday at Gulfstream Park.
Last year’s Iowa Derby winner closed with a sustained bid under Eibar Coa and powered past runner-up Kiss the Kid and third-place finisher Mambo Meister, the 2.30-to-1 favorite, to halt a three-race winless stretch.
The Ft. Lauderdale Stakes lost its Grade 3 status when the race was moved off the turf due to a weekend deluge of rain in South Florida and was shortened from 1 1/16 miles to a one-turn mile.
Duke of Mischief covered distance in 1:37.70 on a track rated as good to improve to four wins in ten starts for trainer David Fawkes, who owns the four-year-old Graeme Hall colt in partnership with Alex and Joann Lieblong and Marilyn McMaster. McMaster bred Duke of Mischief in Florida. He is out of the winning Real Courage mare My Lady Amelia, dam of Grade 3 winner Lord Robyn.
Multiple graded stakes winner Kiss the Kid edged graded stakes winner Mambo Meister by three-quarters of a length. The Ft. Lauderdale field was reduced to eight after seven horses were scratched.
Coa reserved Duke of Mischief in sixth early behind a leisurely pace. He rallied into contention with a sweeping bid on the turn before wearing down his two game opponents in the stretch.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
