Sound Machine Shows New Dimension to Win Musical Romance

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – e Five Racing Thoroughbreds’ Sound Machine rallied along the rail to capture Saturday’s $75,000 Musical Romance Stakes, stamping herself as a candidate for the $350,000 Princess Rooney (G2), a Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ race on the July 3 Summit of Speed program at Gulfstream Park.

Sound Machine, who finished second in the March 20 Hurricane Bertie (G3) before finishing a disappointing fourth in a recent optional claiming allowance, was trapped down on the rail for most of the 1/2 furlongs in the stakes for Florida-bred fillies and mares but found room under Edgard Zayas to stage a winning rally when pacesetter Bramble Berry drifted to the outside on the turn into the homestretch.

“She had a little trouble in her last race, but she didn’t fire her best race either. Today, we had her back in form. Early on it looked like she would get beat, but Edgard found room,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “Today, she showed a new dimension. She kicked in and showed a lot of determination. Normally, she’s a little fragile, mentally, she can’t handle that adversity. I was proud to see could handle it today.”

Sound Machine ($6.40) raced in fourth along the backstretch while trapped down on the rail as Bramble Berry showed the way while settle fractions of 22.49 and 45.14 seconds for the first 1/2-mile. The Joseph-trained Loriloupies made a move into contention on the far turn, followed by a four-wide move by Heiressall on the turn into the homestretch

As the two outside challengers’ bids stalls and Bramble Berry drifted to the outside, Sound Machine cut the corner and responded with a determined drive under the Zayas’ strong urging, drawing off to win by 3 lengths. Bramble Berry held on to finish second ahead of another Joseph trainee, Merseyside.

Sound Machine, the 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief, ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.74.