Even-money favorite Musical Flair rallied fast in the Gulfstream Park homestretch to win the $60,000 Needles Stakes by three-quarters of a length.
Ridden to victory by John Velazquez, the colt settled off of a moderate early pace set by Hello Prince, Indirectly A.P., and Martini Madness, who ran an opening quarter mile in :22.67 while racing three across the track. Diez, Silver Menace, and Musical Flair trailed the field.
Turning for home the three leaders will still right together, and continued to race three in a line down the homestretch through a half-mile in :45.59. In the meantime, Musical Flair was down behind horses looking for racing room. However, Velazquez was able to guide his mount to the outside and the colt responded with a burst of speed that carried him to victory. The final time for the five-furlong event was :57.49.
Hello Prince finished second, but drifted out and caused Indirectly A.P. to steady hard in the stretch. An inquiry and rider's objection was filed, after which Hello Prince was disqualified and placed last. Thus, the original third-place finisher Martini Madness was placed second, followed by Silver Menace and Diez.
-Keelerman
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