Fulsome Rallies From Last To Edge Cezanne In Oaklawn Mile

Juddmonte Farms homebred Into Mischief colt Fulsome rallied from last to win the Grade 3, $400,000 Oaklawn Mile Stakes over odds-on favorite Cezanne in his 4-year-old debut on Saturday at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Ark.

Ridden by Florent Geroux for trainer Brad Cox, Fulsome put his head in front of Cezanne and jockey Flavien Prat in deep stretch, winning by a neck and stopping the timer in 1:36.43 for the mile on a fast track.

Cezanne finished two lengths ahead of Runnin’ Ray in third, with Necker Island fourth, Silver Prospector fifth, Mo Mosa sixth, Roadster seventh, Market Analysis eighth and Law Professor last in the field of nine older runners. Dark Vader was scratched.

Fulsome paid $18.80 for the win, his sixth in 10 career starts. Graded for the first time, the Oaklawn Mile was Fulsome’s third graded stakes victory following wins in the G3 Matt Winn at Churchill Downs last May and the G3 Smarty Jones at Parx Racing last August. The latter was a prep for the G1 Pennsylvania Derby, where Fulsome finished fourth behind Hot Rod Charlie in his final start prior to the Oaklawn Mile.

Shuffled back shortly after the start, Fulsome trailed the field as Market Analysis set the early pace, going an opening quarter mile in :22.73 and the half in :45.87. Approaching the far turn, Fulsome moved up while still in hand, then switched to the outside and circled the field, fanning into the stretch six wide. After six furlongs in 1:10.65, Cezanne – who raced in third and in the clear most of the way – took command and led past the furlong pole, the seven furlongs clocked in 1:23.78. Coming off a victory in the G2 San Carlos going seven furlongs at Santa Anita, Cezanne was unable to fight off Fulsome in deep stretch, settling for second.

“I think his wheelhouse is when he gets a pace,” winning trainer Brad Cox said. “A mile, a mile and sixteenth, I think whenever there’s some pace to run at, he’s going to come running. He’s a very honest horse. He always tries and that’s kind of what I was hoping for coming into this race – we were going to see some pace. I think lots of times the mile races here at Oaklawn, you get some pace. They don’t always back up, but they are quick enough. The horses up close were the ones we went by. It didn’t completely fall apart, but he was able to get things set up for him and he made a big run and had his momentum down the lane. He ran big.”

Fulsome was produced from the Distorted Humor mare Flourish.

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