In a performance that blended grit with class, Mish rolled back the years in Sunday’s feature at Gulfstream Park, securing her 12th career success and underlining that experience still counts at the highest level.
The nine-year-old, owned by C2 Racing Stable LLC and trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., was ridden with confidence by Tyler Gaffalione in the six-furlong contest. Facing the much-discussed debut winner Elnajd, Mish produced a decisive move around the turn to settle matters in authoritative fashion.
A Florida-bred daughter of Field Commission, Mish was positioned three-wide down the backstretch before gradually asserting. Once straightened for home, she edged clear and held firm under pressure, stopping the clock in 1:10.66. At the line, she was 1½ lengths in front of the four-year-old Elnajd, who chased gamely but could not bridge the gap.
Joseph was quick to praise his stable stalwart.
“He’s the only 9-year-old we have in the barn, but at nine he’s as sound as ever and as fast as ever,” the trainer said. “You can’t judge a horse by age. You judge them by how they’re doing. When you have class and you’re good, you’re good.”
The victory carried extra resonance given the quality of the opposition. Elnajd, a son of Speightstown representing Shadwell Stable, had created a strong impression on debut and arrived with high expectations. Mish, however, showed the value of seasoning, using tactical speed and strength to repel the younger challenger.
Sunday’s result once again highlighted the depth of sprint talent at Gulfstream Park this winter. Mish’s latest success over six furlongs adds another chapter to a career built on consistency and durability, particularly notable for a horse now in her ninth year of racing.
Behind the leading pair, the remainder of the field trailed without threatening, as Mish’s turn-of-foot entering the bend proved decisive. It was a measured, professional ride from Gaffalione, who allowed the mare to find rhythm early before asking for her effort at precisely the right moment.
The broader weekend at Gulfstream promises further highlights, with a stacked Fountain of Youth Day programme on the horizon. Leading rider Irad Ortiz Jr. is scheduled to partner 13 mounts across the card, including several for prominent trainer Brad Cox, while jockey Dylan Davis is set to make his return from injury.
Yet Sunday belonged to Mish — a veteran who continues to defy the calendar. In a sport that often celebrates youth, her performance served as a timely reminder that resilience and class remain formidable assets.
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