Fourteen Contend For Marino Mile

The highlight race for this weekend in the Sunshine State will be The Marino Mile (G1), a mile long route for three-year-olds only on the main dirt track. With a tropical depression looking to take aim at the west coast, we will be certain to get some amount of rain at the track in the coming days, though the race, set to go to go off at 2:30 EST, looks like it will start before the worst set in, likely leaving the dirt track in good condition at post time. The weather hasn’t scared any contenders away from the race, with the eight-furlong stakes attracting a full field of fourteen runners, including several prior graded stakes winners. Let’s take a look at our field. 

1. Temple Of Eck (IRE) – givencovid – Z. Edwards – 11/1 

Drawing the inside rail, this bay gelding is the most accomplished offspring by Grade I winning and half a million-dollar earning broodmare Eckankar, and is also currently the number one ranked horse in Florida. The gelding was previously undefeated over the dirt before starting in this years Bluegrass Derby (G1). The gelding was, as normal for his running style, held off the pace early on out of the gate, but didn’t finish with his hallmark closing kick in the stretch and crossed the wire in fourteenth during the greatest two minutes in sports. Prior to this, the gelding had won five consecutive starts, including two mile long graded stakes in the Everythings Zen (G1) and The Good Cow (G3) here in Florida. 

2. Dungeon Dragon – dragonknight – R. Radzinski – 11/1 

Another horse coming out of the Bluegrass Derby, this three-year-old by Medaglia D’Oro will be making his eighth lifetime start, primarily having raced in Vermont early in his racing career. His most recent start was in the Bluegrass Derby (G1), where he finished twelfth at the wire with a speed figure of ninety-five when being set far off the pace at the start. The most recent win for the brown colt was overseas in the UAE Night of Stars (G1) at a mile and one sixteenth, where the colt settled out of the gate off the pace of several other horses, taking control in the stretch to win by two. 

3. Flat Out Mystery – checkmate17 – D. Silver – 14/1 

Continuing along in his quest for his first Grade I win, the bay colt by Flatter is out of the Grade II winning broodmare Air Of Mystery. The brown three-year-old is the first graded winner for the broodmare. The colt last raced in April during the California Derby (G1), a mile and one-eighth Derby Lock Prep race. This was the only time in the colt’s career that he finished off the board, as he crossed the wire in eleventh early on after being placed towards the rear of the field as is the colts running style. The colt set a speed figure of ninety-five. He’d previously won three consecutive starts, once when he broke his maiden on his second time out, next in an allowance, and finally in the Sleepy Fan Stakes (G2) over a mile and one sixteenth. 

4. Media Distortion – asrdistorted – R. Bokie – 18/1 

In the fourth slot will be the longshot of Saturday’s race. The royally-bred son of Distorted Humor is a Grade I winner over half a million In lifetime earnings and will be making his eleventh career start this weekend. Like many in the field, the bay three-year-old made his most recent start in the Bluegrass Derby (G1). Breaking towards the rear of the field out of the gate, the colt finished a well-beaten eighteenth in the field, setting a speed figure of eighty-nine. His most recent win was in a hot allowance race over a mile and one sixteenth in January. The last stakes victory for the colt came as a late season two-year-old in the Sprinkling Wine Stakes (G1) at a mile in New York. 

5. Rag Time Charlie – hoosier23 – A. Rolling – 16/1 

Next in our lineup of contenders, we have the number one ranked colt in Spain who will be looking for a second graded victory and the first of his three-year-old season. The most recent start for the bay son of Union Rags was in April during the Bluegrass Derby Trial Stakes (G3) at a mile. Coming out of the gate and going head-to-head with a front running pacesetter early on, the colt lost steam in the stretch and faded to fifth, though setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred. The most recent win for the colt was in his two-year-old season during the six-furlong Otium Bruno Hortelano Shield (G1) in Spain. 

6. Cool Mischief – givencovid – R. Sailor – 11/1 

Second in the field for the stable group givencovid, the bay colt is a graded winner and out of the Hall of Fame winning broodmare Cool Indy, who has produced multiple listed and graded winners. The most recent start for the colt was in Kentucky during the Corkscrew Stakes (G1), a Derby Lock Prep over a mile and one eighth. Settled back into fifth out of the gate, the colt was pushed back over the course of the race and finished thirteenth, setting a speed figure of ninety-five. The most recent win for the colt was in August of his two-year-old season when he won the seven-furlong Hopeless Stakes (G1) by a length and a quarter. 

7. Golden Pyramid – shagfarms – J. Selden – 8/1 

In the seven post, this bay colt by Cairo Prince will be continuing his search for his first graded win. The most recent race for the three-year-old was in The Grunt (G3) over a mile and one sixteenth in Canada. Setting just off the pace of several front runners in fifth, the colt made his move down the stretch but made it past the wire two lengths back in second, setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred four. His most recent win, coming last February, was in a listed stakes race in New York over the same distance. The colt is lightly raced with just seven starts under his belt and only one off the board finish; this coming in this years’ the Wooden Indian (G1), a Derby Lock Prep. 

8. Broken Cielo – desertdog7 – N. Bonus – 8/1 

At number six in overall standings, this three-year-old gelding by Broken Vow is also coming out of the Bluegrass Derby (G1) into the Sunshine State. Set up close to the pace early on, just off the leader in second, the gelding would fall back in the latter half of the race and finish thirteenth, setting a speed figure of ninety-five. The most recent win for the gelding was December of his two-year-old season during the Movieland Futurity (G1) at a mile and one sixteenth. He won this race in wire-to-wire fashion, which seems to be the geldings preferred running style, so look for this one likely to be leading the field out of the starting gate on Saturday. 

9. Exploding Gold – zkingab41 – J. Cox – 8/1 

This brown colt is lightly raced and looking for his first graded win. The scratch bred three-year-old is coming off a start in the Corkscrew Stakes (G1), a Derby Lock Prep, over a mile and one-eighth. Out of the gate towards the middle of the pack, the colt clung to that position throughout the race, only giving way by one position in the wire, finishing tenth and setting a speed figure of one hundred. The colt came very close to a graded win in the Moises Alou Cap (G2) in Belgium where he finished second over a mile and one sixteenth. His last win was over that same distance in a listed stakes in Idaho. 

10. Smoking Steel – given2021 – M. Perez – 7/1 

The third horse from the given stable conglomerate, this gelding has been on fire of late, winning his last three consecutive starts. Already a graded winner, he’s looking for more prestige this weekend as he takes his first shot at Grade I company. His most recent start was in the Bluegrass Derby Trial Stakes (G3) at a mile in Kentucky, the gelding, held back towards the rear of the field at the break, made an early move on the field to win by two at the wire, setting a speed figure of one hundred four. Rounding out his three consecutive wins was a listed stakes at a mile as well as a mile long allowance race. 

11. Grinning Pirate – witchesmoon – G. Giant – 7/1 

With lifetime earnings over one million, this bay colt will be looking for his first Grade I win. The three-year-old is, so far, the first and only offspring of million-dollar earning and Grade II winning broodmare Sarcastic Pirate. The colt made his most recent start in Kentucky during the Heat Less Stakes (G2) at a mile and one sixteenth. Held off the pace in fifth the colt rallied late to cross the wire fourth, only two and three-quarter lengths off the pace in the exciting finish, and setting a speed figure of one hundred two, equaling a lifetime best that he achieved in the Giant Stayer Stakes (G3) where he finished second. The most recent win for the colt was in August of his two-year-old season during the Trixy Delight’s Special (G3), also over a mile.  

12. The Flash Of Steel – thezoo3 – Z. Kentucky – 13/1 

Making his second graded start of his career, and still looking for that graded win, this three-year-old colt is out of the Grade III winning broodmare Turn To Stone. Making his ninth lifetime start on Saturday, the colt last saw the track during the Woodan Indian (G1), a Derby Lock Prep over a mile and one eighth. The colt broke out of the gate sharply and tucked in behind front runners in third. The colt would fade later on in the race to finish twelfth, setting a speed figure of ninety-two. His most recent win was just in his prior start; a listed stakes race over a mile in Idaho. This race was won in wire-to-wire fashion, and the colt is a likely early speed factor early on for this weekend’s race. 

13. The Way To Magic – slowrollelite3 – M. McGhee – 12/1 

Sporting the hallmark light coat of his broodmare sire Tapit, this three-year-old roan colt will be looking for his first graded win, though he has placed in a graded start. The most recent start for the colt came across the country in California during the California Derby (G1) over a mile and one eighth. Out of the gate and held back well off the pace towards the back of the field, the flashy colt was unleased in the stretch but only had enough ground to cross the wire in fifth, setting a speed figure of one hundred three. The colt’s graded placement came in his prior start during the 2022 Equinics (G1), another Derby Lock Prep, where the colt finished just two lengths back in second. Prior to this start was the most recent win for the colt, this in a seven-furlong hot allowance race. 

14. Accelerishe – givenelite0 – D. Lakencher – 8/1 

Coming off of two consecutive wins and taking a step up in class to Grade I company, the bay gelding by Accelerate is out of the Grade II winning broodmare Oishe. The gelding made his most recent start in Vermont during the Barbara Walters Special (G3) over a mile. Out of the gate and held off the pace towards the back of the field out of the gate, the gelding was urged to make a move midway through the race, ultimately going on to win by a length and setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred six. Prior to this the colt also won a mile long allowance in Michigan. 

Flrancho’s Picks 

Win: Grinning Pirate 

Place: Broken Cielo 

Show: Temple Of Eck