‘Time Is My Friend’: Trainer Levy’s Patience Rewarded With Quenane

IAB Stables and Walter Fralick’s Quenane rewarded trainer Tamara Levy’s patience on Monday’s Presidents’ Day program at Gulfstream Park, rallying from last to eke out a victory in the $50,000 Rough and Ready

The Rough and Ready, a mile race for horses that started for a claiming price of $12,500 or lower, was one of 10 stakes for horses that have started for a claiming price on an 11-race program.

Quenane, who finished fourth and eighth in the Rough and Ready the last two years, respectively, had gone winless in 12 consecutive starts before prevailing by a nose under Irad Ortiz Jr. to collect his third straight score.

“He had never won two in a row and I asked myself, ‘Am I asking too much of him to do three and win his first stake?” Levy said.

Quenane ($11.60), a hard-knocking 6-year-old gelding who had won 10 of 39 starts going into the Rough and Ready, surely was up to the task, launching a wide rally on the turn into the homestretch and just catching heavily favored Yodel E. A. Who at the wire.

“Time. Time is my friend. When he didn’t come back to form last year, I gave him some time off and sent him home to the farm,” Levy said. “I was having some hard times with my help situation and started taking care of him myself.”

Quenane ran the one-turn mile in 1:36.40. Yodel E. A. Who finished 3 ½ lengths ahead of third-place finisher Dizzy Gillespie.

Levy who has trained a relatively small stable with success in South Florida since 2010, enjoyed a successful 2014 campaign with Courtney Ryan, who led the nation that year with 10 victories.

Quenane was one of three winners on Monday’s card for Ortiz, the Championship Meet’s leading rider.

Ortiz also scored aboard Midwest Thoroughbreds’ Bareeqa ($9.40) in Race 3 in the $60,000 Mary Todd, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares that had run for a claiming price of $25,000 or lower, and Aye Aye Sir ($7), who captured a five-furlong optional claiming allowance on turf in Race 6.

Super Super Stable’s Scarto ($153.20) pulled off a major upset in the $60,000 American Fabius, a seven furlong sprint for 3-year-olds that had started for a claiming price of $50,000 or lower. The Amador Sanchez-trained son of Paynter, who was ridden by Hector Berrios, won a $50,000 maiden claiming race in his most recent start after checking in second against maiden special weight foes in his debut. Scarto finished 1 ¼ lengths clear of Disc Jockey, the 3-5 favorite ridden by Ortiz, while running seven furlongs in 1:22.61.

The most impressive performance Monday was produced by Rancho Alegro’s Monforte ($5), who rolled to his fourth straight victory in the $60,000 Sage of Monticello, a mile turf race for 3-year-olds that had run for a claiming price of $35,000. The Ruben Gracida-trained son of Carpe Diem set all the pace while scoring by 3 ½ lengths in 1:35.29 under Jairo Rendon.

Patricias Hope LLC’s Home Base ($11.60), who finished fifth in the Mr. Prospector (G3) last time out, wore down pacesetter Early Entry by a neck to win the $60,000 Rail Splitter, a 6 ½-furlong sprint for 4-year-olds and up that had raced for a claiming price of $35,000. Jose Ortiz was aboard the Michael Tomlinson-trained son of Street Sense.

Robert Murray’s Delarna kicked off the stakes action in Race 1 with 3 ¼-length victory in the $50,000 Little Magician, a mile turf stakes for horses that started for a claiming price of $12,500. Ridden by Victor LeBron, the Bobby Dibona-trained 6-year-old gelding was timed in 1:34.66 while defeating multiple-stakes winner My Point Exactly.

Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher’s Aquaphobia ($9) closed out the stakes action while making his first start for trainer Michael Maker a winning one in the $60,000 Old Man Eloquent, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for 4-year-olds and up that had raced for a claiming price of $35,000. The 7-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway was claimed for $62,500 out of his most recent start.

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