Homebred Mystifying Holds On To Graduate At First Asking In Hallandale

[Wandering Eyes]

6th-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 1-14, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:11.68, ft, 1/2 length.
MYSTIFYING (f, 3, Curlin–Puzzling {SP, $127,312}, by Ghostzapper) debuted with Lasix and as a 7-1 shot here. The homebred hustled for the lead to the inside of a pair of competitors up the backstretch. Poking her head in front around the far turn, the filly continued to pour on the speed at the top of the lane and she gamely held off the favorite Bedazzle 'Em (American Pharoah) to graduate by half a length.

“Jose [Ortiz] worked her out of the gate one day at Payson and she worked really well,” said trainer Shug McGaughey. “I thought she was tactical enough to run three-quarters, but she's going to want to run farther. He told me she just took him there on her own. He was like, 'If you want to go, we'll go.' I think she's got a good future in front of her.”

Puzzling produced a 2-year-old colt by Street Sense, who was purchased for $500,000 by Centennial Farms at last year's Keeneland September Sale, and she was covered by Oscar Performance for this year. Mystifying's second dam is a full-sister to champion 3-year-old filly Heavenly Prize (Seeking the Gold) and she is responsible for GI Manhattan H. hero Dancing Forever (Rahy). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $42,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O/B-Phipps Stable (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III.

Shug McGaughey trained MYSTIFYING ($16.20) went up the pine, held off Bedazzle 'em, and seized victory in @GulfstreamPark race 6. @jose93_ortiz had the call to ride.

Jump on the Late Pick 4 on the @FDSportsbook: https://t.co/n8J7Nf7Wyh pic.twitter.com/SkN87AOX5I

— TVG (@TVG) January 14, 2024

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