Promising juveniles Algorithms and Consortium clashed today in the 3rd race at Gulfstream. Algorithms (Bernardini—Ava Knowsthecode, by Cryptoclearance) was making just his second start and his first in six months. Today’s race was also Consortium’s (Bernardini—Marietta, by Machiavellian) second start. Despite the six month layoff, Algorithms was much the best while prevailing late. Seven Kind set the pace at the break, zipping through opening fractions of 22.19 for the quarter and 44.82 for the half. Consortium, who had pressed the pace on the outside of Seven Kind, took over in the stretch but was caught at the sixteenth pole by Algorithms. The winner stopped the clock at 1:15.51 for the 6 ½ furlong allowance optional claiming race. Consortium finished second, a length behind Algorithms, and Seven Kind held on for third. Distort This, Rex’s Last Tour, and Two Is to Many ran fourth, fifth, and sixth respectively. The Todd Pletcher trainee’s win was his second in as many starts.
Six races later G2 Jerome Stakes winner Adios Charlie (Indian Charlie—Teak Totem, by Northern Afleet) squared off with Uptowncharlybrown (Limehouse—La Iluminada, by Langfuhr), a veteran of the 2010 Road to the Roses. Like Algorithms, Adios Charlie was making his first start after a significant layoff; earlier in the year, the colt had been sidelined with a stress fracture that was detected after his runner-up effort in the G2 Dwyer. The two met up in a mile allowance optional claiming race that originally included Harlan’s Holiday Stakes runners Our Dark Knight and Zimmer, who was an also-eligible entrant. The three-year old son of Indian Charlie, who was euthanized on December 15 after battling cancer for some time, was sent off as the favorite in the nine horse field and broke from the ten slot. Adios Charlie stalked pacesetter Guns and Religion, who set moderate fractions of 23.99 for the quarter and 46.84 for the half. Adios Charlie took over in the stretch and drew clear under a hand ride by jockey Javier Castellano to stop the clock at 1:35.70. Praetereo closed from the back of the field to finish 3 ¼ lengths behind the winner in second. Andersonstate, who had sat off the pace in second, tired after gaining a brief lead nearing the stretch but held on for third, 5 ¼ lengths ahead of fourth place finisher Uptowncharlybrown, who had been sent off as the second favorite. Megalith, Primary Witness, Power Rules, Guns and Religion, and Clean Shot, who never lifted a hoof while trailing throughout, rounded out the field. Today’s victory made Adios Charlie 3-3-0 in 6 career starts.