Gulfstream

Fear the Cowboy uncorks a late surge to capture the Harlan’s Holiday on Saturday.

HALLANDALE — Fear the Cowboy has been all over the country since winning the Skip Away in March at Gulfstream. He’s run in stakes in New Mexico, Louisiana, Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky and Pennsylvania with one win to show for it.

“We travel a lot with him looking for the right race,” trainer Efan Loza Jr. said. Maybe he should never have left South Florida. He found the right race in his return to Gulfstream on Saturday, as Fear the Cowboy uncorked a late surge to capture the Harlan’s Holiday, one of five $100,000 Grade 3 stakes on the card.

Fear the Cowboy fell into an ideal scenario. Mr. Jordan, coming off an 11-length win, and Conquest Big E were at each other’s throats from the turn into the backstretch around the far turn. Mr. Jordan held on the better of the two into the stretch but had nothing left to fend off Fear the Cowboy, who ran right by en route to a 2 1⁄4-length victory. Fear the Cowboy, the 7-2 second choice, completed a mile and a sixteenth in 1:42.23.

Fear the Cowboy might have run himself into the most difficult spot of his life, the $16 million Pegasus on Jan. 27. Three likely Eclipse champions — almost certain Horse of the Year Gun Runner, top female Forever Unbridled and 3-year-old leader West Coast — are among those pointing for the world’s richest race. “We’re hoping to take the chance,” Loza said. If they do, it will be with someone else’s money. Loza said the only way Fear the Cowboy will go is if one of the shareholders, who put up $1 million apiece, wants to strike a partnership for the race. “I’ll be waiting by the phone,” Loza said.

A star might have been reborn in the Rampart, a mile for fillies and mares. Lewis Bay, a three-time graded stakes winner in 2016 came back from a 13-month absence to outduel even-money favorite Curlin’s Approval.

Lewis Bay and Curlin’s Approval went after each other from out of the gate and ran away from the rest of the field. That was the plan, according to Eclipse champion trainer Chad Brown. “She had been training so well, we said in the paddock if she breaks sharp, take it to the favorite.”

Curlin’s Approval tried to get away down the backstretch but Irad Ortiz on the winner wouldn’t let it happen, keeping Lewis Bay lapped on her rival into the stretch. Lewis Bay gradually moved away from Curlin’s Approval to get under the wire a length and a quarter in front in 1:36.14. Nonna Melo picked up the show money with a late run but never threatened the top two.

Lewis Bay’s long absence wasn’t the result of any major problems, Brown said. “It was a series of what turned out to be minor issues. The problem was they didn’t all happen at the same time.” Lewis Bay, who was third in the 2016 Kentucky Oaks, is worth millions as a broodmare, Brown pointed out, but the plan is to keep her racing throughout 2018.

Ortiz also rode On Leave to a score in the My Charmer, grinding down early leader Gianna’s Dream in the final strides. On Leave, the even-money favorite, ran a mile on the grass in 1:35.35.

On Leave’s time was slightly faster than the males ran the same distance in the Tropical Turf. Shakimat, an 11-1 shot with Edgard Zayas aboard, made a middle move to the lead on the backstretch and kept it to the finish, completing the distance in 1:36.03. Galton came from just off the pace to get second with favored Blacktype third.

The Sugar Swirl, a 6 furlong dash for females, also produced an upset. Rich Mommy, a 12-1 shot, came from fifth at the top of the stretch under Luis Saez to run past the leaders for a two-length win. Rich Mommy finished the threequarters of a mile in 1:10.44. Odds-on favorite Dearest was cooked in an early speed duel and faded to fourth.