All eyes on Apriority to get his career back on track in the Mr. Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream Park
The 4-year-old Donald R. Dizney owned colt, Apriority, would love to leave behind his 2011 woes and wind down the year with a win in the Grade 3, $100,000 Mr. Prospector at Gulfstream Park on 31 December, 2011, at about 6 furlongs on dirt.
David Fawked trained sprinter will have every chance to win after getting some class relief in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector especially after a sixth place finish to Amazombie in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs.
He was definitely a little overmatched in the Breeders’ Cup where Apriority finished wide running sixth and almost nine lengths behind the winner.
The Florida bred colt has been running against Grade 1 company lately, and has made four of his five starts in grade 1 races. Apriority has been extremely unlucky with a couple of races where he finished second.
In the Grade 1 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct on 9 April, 2011, Apriority got nosed out by Morning Line, and prior to the race had an unlucky trip in the Sunshine Millions Sprint, where he got defeated by Amazombie.
On 7 May, 2011, Apriority conjured up another solid race when he finished an agonizingly close second place finish to Aikenite in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes at about seven furlongs at Churchill Downs.
However, since the Churchill Downs Stakes, Apriority’s graph has been on the decline. He finished a non threatening fourth in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap to Sean Avery. Trappe Shot finished second in that race followed in by Calibrachoa, Sean
Avery topped the seven furlong distance in 1 minute and 9.71 seconds.
His penultimate race was a disappointment as well, when Apriority turned in an unplaced finish in the Grade 1 Vosburgh Stakes at Belmont Park.
As far trained David Fawkes, he will be looking for an unusual double in the Mr. Prospector. The Gulfstream Park meet started a month earlier this time around, and as a result Mr. Prospector will be run for the second time this year,
Fawkes won the first 2011 edition of the race with Big Drama.
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