HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. (AP) -You and I Forever rallied four-wide entering the stretch before pulling away from 10 others to win the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap by 1 1/2 lengths over stablemate Motovato.
You and I Forever, a 13-1 longshot, covered the mile in 1:36.83. The 5-year-old son of A.P. Indy has won four of 17 starts and $434,652. South Florida-based trainer Marty Wolfson saddled the first two finishers.
You and I Forever paid $29.40, $12.20 and $7.80. Motovato paid $5.00 and $3.60 and Cool Coal Man was third and paid $5.40.
Breaking from post 10, You and I Forever broke well but was rated by jockey Javier Castellano in eighth while Le Grand Cru was pressed through early fractions of :23.86 and :46.40.
``We had a plan going into the race,'' Castellano said. ``There was a lot of speed in there and I wanted to be mid-pack and wait for the horses to come back to me just let my horse finish, and it worked out exactly that way.''
Entering the turn, Castellano and You and I Forever started to make up ground and found themselves on the lead entering the stretch. Despite a late rally by stablemate Motovato down along the rail, You and I Forever had plenty left for the victory.
Wolfson said he liked both You and I Forever and Motovato coming into the race, but had to push the estate of late owner Edmund Gann to run You and I Forever.
``He wasn't even going to run,'' Wolfson said. ``A deal has been made (by the Estate of Gann) to sell the horse to interests in India as a stud prospect. I begged them (Friday night) to let me run him.''
Wolfson called You and I Forever and Motovato, also a 5-year-old, ``amazing horses to still be running.''
``Both have had multiple surgeries,'' said Wolfson, before adding, ``At least I get to keep Motovato.''
Race favorite This Ones for Phil, winner Jan. 30 of the $200,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint, raced mid-pack down the backstretch before tiring and finishing eighth.
``The distance was probably a little bit too much for him,'' said jockey John Velazquez. ``I thought I had set things up perfectly, but by the quarter pole I was out of horse.''
