LNJ Foxwoods and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Annex may be lightly raced, but what the Constitution colt lacks in experience he makes up for with perfection.
Making just his second start for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott in the $100,000 Palm Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park, the 3-year-old colt moved from last-out maiden winner to stakes winner with a head score over rival Scarlett Sky.
Annex won a Jan. 16 maiden special weight at first asking going a mile on the turf at Gulfstream and was favored to win again Saturday as he stretched out to 1 1/16 miles against fellow sophomores. Jockey Junior Alvarado, aboard for both starts, deftly guided the colt from ninth to first.
Unhurried early, Annex settled off the pace two wide while Arzak sizzled through the first quarter in :22.38 and drew off to an eight-length advantage through a :44.80 half and three-quarters in 1:09.19. Hot Blooded took over from second when the frontrunner stopped in the stretch drive, while Annex was forced to swing seven-wide turning for home on the left lead.
Switching leads near the sixteenth pole as a mile went in 1:34.61, Annex got up late under left-handed urging. Scarlett Sky battled on the inside of the winner and just missed after closing up the rail. Chess's Dream also made a rail rally but had to settle for third 1 3/4 lengths back. The order of finish was completed by Fighting Force, Siglioso, Cave Hill, Hot Blooded, and a fatigued Arzak.
Bred in Kentucky by William Harrigan and Mike Pietrangelo out of the winning Unbridled's Song mare You Make Me Sing, Annex ($4.60) was a private purchase after he failed to meet his reserve when consigned by Lane's End to the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where the hammer fell at $65,000.
He is the third foal and the only winner from three to race out of You Make Me Sing, who produced an Honor Code colt in 2019 and an Honor Code filly in 2020. She was bred to Mitole for 2021.
Video: Palm Beach S. (BT)
Con Lima Put Up in Herecomesthebride
Con Lima went from bridesmaid to bride in the $100,000 Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3T), where the Todd Pletcher-trained daughter of Commissioner finished second but was placed first via the disqualification of first-place finisher Spanish Loveaffair.
The Herecomesthebride, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies, was the first start for Spanish Loveaffair since a sixth in the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T), and she drew off to a 2 3/4-length score in 1:41.30 on firm turf. But the stewards ruled that the 8-5 favorite interfered with eventual fourth-place finisher I Get It leaving the backstretch, and she placed fourth after a lengthy inquiry.
Con Lima ($6), who came in off a second in the Jan. 30 Sweetest Chant Stakes (G3T) after setting the early pace, this time rallied from far back under Irad Ortiz Jr. after bumping the side of the gate at the start.
"Our plan was to go to the lead but the filly, unfortunately, didn't break that good. After that I just had to go to 'Plan B.' That wasn't even our 'Plan B.' It was 'Plan C,' I guess," Ortiz said. "She relaxed and just sat and waited for me. I had to start working on her a little early, but she performed well and kept coming. (Spanish Loveaffair) was a better filly today, but she's a very good filly."
Mail Order set the pace through fractions of :23.80 and :48.10 for the first half-mile, with Joy of Painting and Spanish Loveaffair in close attendance. I Get it advanced quickly on the rail along the backstretch to slip inside Spanish Loveaffair but dropped back several lengths after bumping with the favorite. Spanish Loveaffair swept to the lead with a three-wide move into the stretch to prevail by a comfortable margin. Con Lima rallied four-wide on the turn to finish second, a length ahead of Joy of Painting, who finished a nose ahead of re-rallying I Get It.
Con Lima races for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph Graffeo, Eric Nikolaus Del Toro, and Troy Johnson. She improved her record to four wins and four seconds from eight starts, with earnings of $214,495. Bred in Texas by Lisa Kuhlmann out of the stakes-winning Consolidator mare Second Street City, Con Lima failed to meet her reserve for $22,000 when consigned by Niall Brennan Stables to the Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners became a co-owner in the filly after her second start, a 5 1/4-length maiden win at Gulfstream last summer, after which she was turned over to Pletcher.
Second Street City has produced three foals—Queso, who only started once, Con Lima, and a Point of Entry colt foaled in 2020. She was bred to Lord Nelson for 2021.
