Florida Focus

Tell a Great Story won the $75,125 Go for Wand at Delaware Park in 2013 and a month later was third to Dancing Afleet in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks. Arindel purchased Tell a Great Story for $60,000 out of the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment at the 2019 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale in foal to Frosted and sold her at the 2019 OBS Winter Mixed Sale to Watershed Bloodstock. She has four winners from five starters with Flakes as her only stakes performer. Tell a Great Story has a yearling colt, Maupansant, by Florida-bred stallion Thousand Words and a weanling filly by Higher Power. n

Jockey Gabriel Maldonado

Notches First Win at 29-1

Gabriel Maldonado registered the first victory of his career June 17 at Gulfstream Park while guiding trainer Daniel Pita’s Sir Kahn, a 29-1 outsider, to a last-to-first win.

The 10-pound apprentice saved ground aboard Sir Kahn in race 4, a $6,250 claiming race going seven furlongs on a sloppy track, sending the 6-year-old gelding by Bayern inside on the turn into the homestretch on his way to a length-and-a-half victory. Major King finished second with Sun Viking third.

The 24-year-old native of Puerto Rico had 14 previous mounts, all this year at Gulfstream. n

Lightning Tones Nabs Khozeiress in Last Jump to Upset Carry Back Outsider Earns $25,000 FTBOA Florida-bred Win Bonus

Longshot Lightning Tones came flying late to nip fellow Florida-bred Khozeiress at the finish to upset the $75,000 Carry Back at Gulfstream Park on June 24 at odds of 28-1. The seven-furlong Carry Back featured a field of seven 3-year-olds.

In addition to the winner’s share of the purse, Lightning Tones earned a $25,000 Florida-bred win bonus presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.

Lightning Tones and jockey Marcos Meneses were last early, more than 17 lengths behind front-running Swirvin and Sound Doctrine after two furlongs in :21.81 as even-money favorite Super Chow tracked those two in third while three wide.

As they raced past the half-mile pole, Super Chow shot to the front as Swirvin and Sound Doctrine retreated with Lightning Tones still far back. Super Chow was two lengths in front of Florida-bred Zydeceaux after a half-mile in :44.27 as Lightning Tones began to pass tired horses coming out of the turn with ten lengths still to make up.

Florida-bred Khozeiress began to wear down Super Chow inside the final sixteenth when Lightning Tones appeared in a flash on the far outside. Khozeiress hit the front just yards from the finish but could not hold off the high-powered Lightning Tones, who won in a final time of 1:23.18 on the fast track.

Khozeiress finished three-quarters of a length in front of Super Chow in third followed by Swirvin, Mr. Peeks, Florida-bred Zydeceaux and Sound Doctrine.

“I had no expectations, but I never gave up,” jockey Marco Meneses said. “There was so much speed, I just relaxed my horse and at the three-eighths [pole] he just flew.”

Lightning Tones paid $58.40 to win and the $1 Florida-bred exacta returned $110.20.

Lightning Tones was making his second start for owner and trainer Daniel Hurtak, who had claimed the dark bay or brown gelding for $12,500 out of a five-length victory over seven furlongs at Gulfstream on May 5. In his first start for Hurtak, Lightning Tone finished second to Coppermaster in a $25,000 optional claiming starter allowance going seven furlongs on June 11 before making his stakes debut in the Carry Back.

Lightning Tones has now won three of 10 starts with two seconds and a third and the $70,570 Carry Back payday pushed his career earnings to $120,490.

Lightning Tones is by Tonalist out of the Florida-bred mare Rosesandlightning, by Lightning and Thunder and was bred in the Sunshine State by H & A Stables LLC. He is a graduate of the early training program at Eddie Woods Stables in Ocala.

Lightning Tones is the second foal out of Rosesandlightning and the only winner. She also has an unnamed yearling filly by Maximum Security who was bred by H & A Stables LLC as well.

Lightning Tones is the first Florida-bred winner of the Carry Back since Take Command in 2019 and is the 28th Florida-bred winner of the race first run in 1976. The Carry Back is named for the Florida-bred millionaire and winner of the 1961 Kentucky Derby and a Preakness. n

Determined Mohawk Trail Finds Room to Upset Alywow

six. Mohawk Trail settled into fourth, about two-and-a-half lengths behind Collecting Flatter and held that position behind the frontrunners around the turn. Ryder Ryder Ryder gained a narrow advantage at the top of the stretch as Mohawk Trail looked for room in the run for home. With a furlong to the finish, Mohawk Trail found a gap in the four path and darted to the front for the victory in 1:15.66 on the firm turf.

Up and Down finished second, a head faster than Last Call in third with Ryder Ryder Ryder another head farther back in fourth. Secret Money, Fearless Angel and Collecting Flatter completed the order of finish. Renegade Rebel and Florida-bred Star Candy were scratched.

Mohawk Trail paid $23.10 to win.

“She was doing everything a lot more forward than I really wanted to or anticipated,” Beschizza said after winning for the first time at Woodbine in his second appearance. “She broke right on top of the gate and was almost vying for the lead for the first furlong. Kelsey had her perfect for today and she’s really done a good job with her. She was in perfect condition coming into this, almost too ready. All she wanted to do was please. She was there very early from the beginning and almost there too soon. So, at the last eighth of a mile there, she was almost easing up, waiting for company.”

After finishing eighth in Mission of Joy’s Grade 3 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs over a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the turf in March, Mohawk Trail improved to finish third behind winner Breath Away in the $104,000 Sanibel Island going seven-and-ahalf furlongs on the Gulfstream Park grass on April 1. Just prior to the Alywow, Mohawk Trail just missed in the $150,000 Horseshoe Indianapolis Handicap when second, a half-length short of winner Safeen going a mile on the turf on May 17.

Florida-bred Mohawk Trail lacked room at the top of the stretch but split rivals a furlong out on her way to a three-quarterlength score in the US$75,782 Alywow at Woodbine on June 25. The Kelsey Danner trainee defeated six other 3-year-old fillies over six-and-a-half furlongs on the grass to earn her first stakes victory with jockey Adam Beschizza aboard at odds of 10-1.

Mohawk Trail broke best of all from post four before longshot Collecting Flatter sprinted to the front on the inside and 8-5 favorite Ryder Ryder Ryder took second after starting from post

Bred by Westbury Stables LLC, Mohawk Trail is by Pioneerof the Nile out of the stakes-placed Iroquois Girl, by Indian Charlie and has now won three with a second and a third in eight starts. The US$45,469 first-place check in the Alywow increased her career earnings to $136,839 for owner NBS Stables LLC.

Mohawk Trail is the second foal and first winner for Iroquois Girl, who was third behind Richies Sweetheart in the 2015 Lightning City at Tampa Bay Downs. Iroquos Girl also has an unraced 2-year-old filly, Justify Charlie, by Justify, who was also bred in Florida by Westbury Stables. TFH