O'Connor Delivers Another Gutsy Win in Harlan's Holiday

After watching O'Connor (CHI) deliver a second straight valiant victory Dec. 30, this time in the Harlan's Holiday Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park, the connections of the 6-year-old Chilean-bred horse will point to a second try in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) next month on the same track. After O'Connor prevailed by a neck over Grand Aspen following a gutsy inside move under jockey Tyler Gaffalione and an extended stretch battle in Saturday's Pegasus prep, winning trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. told Gulfstream publicity that the Jan. 27 main event would be the target. Should that plan come together, the son of Boboman will enter the Pegasus in better form than last year when he finished off the board in the lucrative 1 1/8-mile test after a fourth-place finish in the Harlan's Holiday. O'Connor, a group 1 winner in Chile, closes 2023 with his first two North American graded stakes wins as he won the Fayette Stakes (G2) by a head Oct. 28 at Keeneland. "I know he's an older horse and he's run a bunch of times, but it seems like he's figuring things out right now," Gaffalione said. In the Harlan's Holiday, O'Connor's stablemate, Ny Traffic, broke smoothly and led through a half-mile in :47.12. Grand Aspen, who tracked in second throughout his stakes debut, made a seemingly effortless move to the lead under Jose Ortiz entering the stretch while O'Connor found room inside to set up a three-horse battle to the finish. Campaigned by Michael and Julia Iavarone and Fernando Vine Ode, O'Connor completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.80, followed by Grand Aspen and Ny Traffic. O'Connor returned $9.20 to win. Maryquitecontrary repeats in Rampart Stakes Continuing her excellence over the Gulfstream Park main track, Maryquitecontrary rallied past runner-up Imonra and third-place Unifying to capture the $150,000 Rampart Stakes Dec. 30. Her length win gave her a second consecutive victory in the one-mile race for fillies and mares. Saturday's score was her seventh in 12 starts, with all her wins in nine races at the South Florida oval. The most prestigious of those came in the Inside Information Stakes (G2) last January, after which the late-running one-turn specialist raced at Keeneland and finished second in the Madison Stakes (G1). A follow-up appearance in the seven-furlong Inside Information, coming on Pegasus World Cup Day, Jan. 27, seems an option in 2024. The winner, saddled for the first time by trainer Eddie Plesa Jr., raced a mile on a fast track under Luca Panici in 1:38.16. She returned $4.60 to her mutuel backers. A 4-year-old Florida-bred, she earned an additional $25,000 bonus to collect $101,725 for Saturday's win. She has made $599,805 for owner/breeder Rodney Lundock. Out of the Mecke mare Mary Kate 'n Kelly, Maryquitecontrary is by First Dude, currently the third-ranked stallion in Florida. He stands next year for a $7,500 fee at Double Diamond Farm near Ocala, Fla.