Squadron A wins Mr. Prospector stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH — Squadron A’s upset win in Sunday’s $100,000 GIII Mr. Prospector stakes almost didn’t happen.

Standing in the Gulfstream Park winner’s circle following Squadron A’s 2 1/2-length win in the 6-furlong race, trainer Dale Romans said that the plan for the 7-year-old was to enter him in an allowance-level race. When the race he had been eyeing didn’t fill, Romans was encouraged to put him in the Mr. Prospector which was also looking for entries.

“I looked at the [past performances] and it was all speed,” Romans said. “He had already been training to a race and ready to run so I said let’s take a shot.”

The shot paid off in a big way for both the horse and a few bettors. The longest price in the field, Squadron A broke from the gate at 19-1. Just as Romans anticipated, El Deal and favorite Delta Bluesman jumped on the pace, leading the six-horse field through an opening quarter mile in 22.36 seconds and 45.01 for the opening half mile.

El Deal gave way at the top of the stretch as Candip surged to challenge Delta Bluesman in the middle of the track, leaving the rail wide open for Squadron A and jockey Corey Lanerie. Romans’ instructions to his jockey were to make sure he saved enough to run late and Squadron A had plenty left. He went under the wire in 1:10.23 followed by Candip and Delta Bluesman.

The win was the first in stakes company for the gray son of Unbridled’s Song. When asked what lay ahead for his newly-minted graded stakes winning sprinter, the loquacious Romans was a bit stumped.

“I’ve trained so few sprinters I really don’t know the layout. I’ve got to look around,” he said. “We’ll try a stakes somewhere. But that’s never been my M.O., training a sprinter. This horse is fun, so we will see what is out there for him. I will accept any help.”