Classic Rock Bashes To Victory In G3 GP Sprint

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s Classic Rock fought hard to find space, but when he did, he was gone without question, taking Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes.

Breaking well from post 4 under Luis Saez, Classic Rock quickly settled to sit just off the pace set by Rock and Fellers through opening splits of :22.24 and :45.44. Through the far turn, Classic Rock found himself stuck behind a slowing leader and sandwiched with foes to his outside, but Saez patiently waited for a hole to appear. Once it did, Classic Rock burst through with a strong turn of foot and drew off convincingly to win by 3 lengths in a final time of 1:18.32 for the 6-furlong sprint.

“We had a pretty nice trip, he broke very well,” Saez said. “We stayed on the fence because I saw the horse in front of me was getting out, so I knew we had the chance to get through, and thank God, we got through and won the race.”

95-1 longshot Sweetontheladies rallied hard down the stretch and beat out Eight Town for second by a neck. Mr. Jordan took fourth, extending his Gulfstream winless streak to 12. Unbridled Outlaw faded to fifth after pressing early, while the even-money favorite Favorable Outcome never fired and finished sixth. Richard the Great, Extravagant Kid, Rock and Fellers, and Noholdingbackbear completed the order of finish.

Classic Rock’s win improved his record to 9-5-0-0 with career earnings of $183,902. The 4-year-old son of MacLean’s Music earned his first graded score for trainer Kathy Ritvo on a track where he now has five wins in six starts.

“He ran a great race,” Ritvo said. “Luis rode a perfect race. The horse was ready today. He’s such a classy, classy horse. He’ll do whatever you ask him to do. He loves this track. He loves it here.”

Classic Rock returned $13.20 to win, $8 to place, and $6.40 to show. Sweetontheladies brought back $60.40 to place and $23 to show, while Show paid $ to show.

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