It looks like the future may be green for Repole Stable's Noted, as the Cairo Prince colt rebounded from a ninth-place finish in last month's Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) to take the $100,000 Pulpit Stakes Dec. 9 at Gulfstream Park.
The versatile Noted, a stakes winner on the dirt in the Sapling Stakes after graduating on the lawn at Saratoga Race Course, was a heartbreaking second by a nose in Keeneland's Bourbon Stakes (G2T) ahead of his Breeders' Cup effort.
Returning to the turf, Noted handed defending Gulfstream Park titlist Irad Ortiz Jr. his second stakes win of the day. Ortiz pocketed his first stakes victory of the Gulfstream Park winter meet earlier on the card with Ozara in the Wait a While Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. Since moving his tack to South Florida this past week, the rider has secured six wins.
In the 7 1/2-furlong Pulpit, Noted was taken back off a lively early tempo of :22.09, :45.91, and 1:09.36 between longshots Prevent and Tocayo. Weaving his way through traffic around the far turn and at the head of the lane, the colt burst through a seam between horses at the eighth pole and surged to the wire in a five-way blanket finish.
The favorite at 6-5 odds, Noted ($4.40) eked out a neck triumph over Reminder in a final time of 1:27.30 over a firm turf course. Palm Tree was another head back in third, a half-length in front of fourth-place-getter General Ledger.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, Noted improved his bankroll to $338,525 with his second career stakes win. Repole signed the ticket on Noted for $200,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from his breeder Airdrie Stud's consignment.
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Ozara Nabs Breakout Stakes Victory in Wait a While
Ozara made the most of her first trip down south with a gutsy score over Milliat in the $100,000 Wait a While Stakes.
Ozara, a $416,346 buy from overseas at the 2022 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, was bet down as the 4-5 favorite in the 10-horse field. After winning her debut at Saratoga Race Course, the 2-year-old Lope de Vega filly was fourth in the Natalma Stakes (G1T) and most recently runner-up in the Chelsey Flower Stakes Oct. 27 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Great Venezuela rolled through opening splits of :23.09, :46.82, and 1:10.21 on a one-length lead as Ortiz kept Ozara a few lengths back in between horses. As the front-runner paved the way turning for home, Ozara was tipped three wide and leveled down for the stretch run. Passing a stubborn Great Venezuela, Ozara held off a late bid from Milliat in the final strides before the wire.
A neck better than Milliat, who was making her North American debut for trainer Jack Sisterson, Ozara ($3.80) stopped the timer in 1:27.36 for the 7 1/2 furlongs on a firm turf course.
Great Venezuela was three-quarters of a length back in third.
Christophe Clement trains Ozara for Cheyenne Stables.
She became the 125th black-type stakes winner for sire Lope de Vega.
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