The promising allowance winner Orb became a graded stakes winner on Saturday when he rallied past the previously undefeated Violence to win the $400,000 Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park by a half-length.
Ridden to victory by John Velazquez, Orb got off to a clean start from post one but quickly settled back in seventh place as Majestic Hussar led the way through quick fractions of :23.11 and :45.45 seconds. Violence, Cerro, and Sr. Quisqueyano were racing as a group in second, followed closely by Elmutahid. Speak Logistics was another four lengths back in sixth, followed by Orb, He's Had Enough, and Joshua's Comprise.
Moving round the final turn, Violence made a strong move to challenge Majestic Hussar for the lead, but the move may have come a bit soon, for it resulted in a six-furlong fraction of 1:08.85 seconds, and truly blazing time. Turning for home, Violence drew clear of Majestic Hussar, but Orb was rallying strongly in the center of racetrack, and stuck his head in front about a sixteenth of a mile from home. Violence dug in gamely and tried to repel the challenge, but Orb maintained his advantage to the wire, which he reached in a quick 1:42.24 seconds for a mile and a sixteenth. The time was only 0.43 seconds off the track record set by Itsmyluckyday earlier this year.
Speak Logistics rallied for third, many lengths behind the top pair. Majestic Hussar, He's Had Enough, Cerro, Sr. Quisqueyano, Joshua's Comprise, and Elmutahid completed the order of finish.
The winner is trained by Shug McGaughey and owned by Stuart Janney III and Phipps Stable. A son of Malibu Moon out of Lady Liberty, by Unbridled, Orb has now compiled a record of 3-0-1 from 6 starts, with earnings of $321,050.
-Keelerman
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