Favorable Outcome Makes Return a Winning One in G2 Swale

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Favorable Outcome made a return to dirt and the winner’s circle Saturday at Gulfstream Park, capturing his 3-year-old debut in the $200,000 Swale (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

Making his first start since finishing well back in his turf debut in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Santa Anita Nov. 4, the Chad Brown-trained colt scored by three-quarters of a length over favored Three Rules in the seven-furlong stakes for 3-year-olds.

Although he finished strongest of all in the six-horse field, Favorable Outcome is not nominated to the Triple Crown.

“Obviously, we planned on keeping him sprinting and on dirt. About three weeks ago I just started breezing him and he was much fitter than I thought,” Brown said. “I looked at the race and I figured let’s run him in here and if he wins that would be great knowing that he is not even a 100 percent fit and it should set up well for him and we can build on it. He ran terrific; he should get a lot out of it.”

Jockey Javier Castellano rated Favorable Outcome off a solid pace set by Derek’s Smile, who set fractions of 23.02 (seconds) and 45.88 into the backstretch. Leaving the backstretch, Vanish made a move inside the pacesetter, as John Velazquez asked Sonic Mule for his run on the outside. Sonic Mule took the lead on the turn into the stretch, pressured by Three Rules to his outside, while Favorable Outcome mounted an even wider bid outside of the 4-5 favorite ridden by Cornelio Velasquez.

Three Rules, who swept the Florida Sire Stakes series last year, grabbed the lead at the top of the stretch with Favorable Outcome, the 2-1 second betting choice looming dangerous to his outside. Three Rules continued on gamely but was unable to hold off Favorite Outcome, who completed the seven furlongs in 1:23.03.

“We had a plan before the race. He broke well out of the gate and I took my time and they went pretty quick early. I had to come around wide on the outside a little bit but I think that was the key to win the race. We had a lot of patience in the beginning and it paid off in the end. I felt like I had plenty of horse,” Castellano said. “I didn’t use him early in the race and I knew when I asked he’d respond, and he did. I think he’ll take another step forward. He’s a young horse, a nice horse and still developing.”

Three Rules, who had won five straight races at Gulfstream to launch his career, finished 2 ¾ lengths ahead of Sonic Mule in his first start since finishing sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile  (G1) at Santa Anita Nov. 5.

“He run a good race. We’re disappointed that we didn’t win but the horse that beat us is a nice horse. Disappointed we didn’t win but not disappointed in the horse,” said Bert Pilcher, whose Shade Tree Thoroughbreds owns the Jose Pinchin-trained runner-up with Tom Fitzgerald and Geoff Roy. “You can’t win every one. It looks like he came back. I don’t know if he got a little tired or he just got outrun.”

Favorable Outcome, who earned $120,000 for Klaravich Stables and William H. Lawrence, captured his career debut at six furlongs at Saratoga in August and finished an even third in the Champagne (G1) at Belmont in October prior to his subpar showing in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

“It’s going to be a campaign of just one-turn dirt races this whole year,” Brown said. “There are a lot of good races for 3-year-olds in that category.”

$200,000 Swale (G2) Quotes

Trainer Chad Brown (Favorable Outcome, winner): “I just freshened him up after the Breeders’ Cup. I really didn’t have a plan up until a month ago. I told the owners look, let me just start breezing him. Obviously, we planned on keeping him sprinting and on dirt. About three weeks ago I just started breezing him and he was much fitter than I thought. I looked at the race and I figured let’s run him in here and if he wins that would be great knowing that he is not even a 100 percent fit and it should set up well for him and we can build on it. He ran terrific; he should get a lot out of it.”

“I thought at the sixteenth pole he might feel the shortage of works there but he showed a lot of heart today and he showed he is a really talented horse. I thought Javier judged his ride just right It’s going to be a campaign of just one-turn dirt races this whole year. There’s a lot of good races for 3-year-olds in that category.”

Jockey Javier Castellano (Favorable Outcome): “We had a plan before the race. He broke well out of the gate and I took my time and they went pretty quick early. I had to come around wide on the outside a little bit but I think that was the key to win the race. We had a lot of patience in the beginning and it paid off in the end. I felt like I had plenty of horse. I didn’t use him early in the race and I knew when I asked he’d respond, and he did. I think he’ll take another step forward. He’s a young horse, a nice horse and still developing.”

Shade Tree Thoroughbreds Bert Pilcher (Three Rules): He run a good race. We’re disappointed that we didn’t win but the horse that beat us is a nice horse. Disappointed we didn’t win but not disappointed in the horse. You can’t win every one. Looks like he came back. I don’t know if he got a little tired or he just got outrun.”

Source: Gulfstream Park