Destino d’Oro delivered a determined performance to land the Tropical Park Oaks at Gulfstream Park on Saturday (14th December), edging a hard-fought stretch duel after benefitting from a brief freshening and class relief following three straight graded-stakes appearances.
The 31st running of the Tropical Park Oaks, contested over 1 1/16 miles on turf for three-year-old fillies, shared top billing on the card with the 50th renewal of the Tropical Park Derby. Both races were run for a purse of $125,000.
Ridden by Edgard Zayas for trainer Brad Cox, Destino d’Oro stopped the clock in 1:40.02 over a firm turf course. The filly earned her fourth career victory from seven starts and secured her second stakes success, following her win in the Pucker Up Stakes (G3) at Ellis Park on August 3.
Destino d’Oro was unhurried in the early stages, settling near the back of a 12-horse field. Miss Mary Nell, sent off at long odds, was hustled to the lead from an outside draw and set the pace through a quarter-mile in 23.34 seconds and a half-mile in 46.60. Souper Zonda tracked in second, while It Ain’t Two saved ground along the rail.
Approaching the far turn, And One More Time began to advance from mid-pack on the outside under Javier Castellano. Zayas followed that move, tipping Destino d’Oro into the centre of the track. Once straightened for home, he found clear running and set his sights on And One More Time, who had briefly forged a narrow lead.
The pair engaged in a prolonged drive to the wire, with Destino d’Oro edging clear late to prevail by a head in a tightly contested finish.
Brad Cox felt the race unfolded as anticipated, noting there was enough early pace to allow his filly to settle before making her move. He credited Zayas with executing the plan effectively and timing the challenge to perfection.
And One More Time finished second despite drifting outward in the closing stages, while Ramsey Pond was a further 1¾ lengths back in third. Souper Zonda, Souper Williwaw, Brown Sugar, Supa Speed, Miss Mary Nell, Smart Union, Nosleeptilbrooklyn, Mischief in Motion and It Ain’t Two completed the order of finish. Crafty Collector and Jalila were scratched.
Zayas said the intention was to remain close enough to And One More Time to avoid giving Destino d’Oro too much to do late. He added that a slight bump in the stretch did not affect her momentum as she pushed on to secure the win.
Destino d’Oro broke her maiden at Kentucky Downs last August and was third, beaten a head, in the Jessamine Stakes (G2) at Keeneland before being sidelined and missing the Breeders’ Cup. She returned in mid-August with a last-to-first effort against older horses at Churchill Downs before capturing the Pucker Up Stakes. Subsequent runs saw her finish sixth in the Dueling Grounds Oaks (G3) at Kentucky Downs and eighth in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1) at Keeneland on October 11.
Cox said the filly had shown strong ability early in her career and explained that after her Keeneland run, she was sent to Payson Park, where she trained well leading into the Tropical Park Oaks, a performance he felt reflected her true level.
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