Gimme Da Lute in Real Good Romp

By Bloodhorse.com

DEL MAR, Calif. (Aug. 2, 2015) — A little more than an hour after his stablemate wowed the masses on the East Coast, Bob Baffert-trained Gimme Da Lute dominated in the $200,000 Real Good Deal Stakes for Golden State Series eligibles at Del Mar.

The 3-year-old son of Midnight Lute  —owned by breeders Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman—sat just off two dueling leaders, bypassed them with ease on the outside in the turn of the seven-furlong event, and pulled away to win by 12 1/4 lengths.

“I stayed busy on him through the stretch,” said jockey Martin Garcia. “That last race at Los Alamitos (Los Alamitos Derby, July 4), when he made the lead he tried to pull himself up. I didn’t want that to happen today, so I stayed after him. I didn’t beat him up, just stayed after him. He’s a nice horse.”

Rocko’s Wheel closed from last to finish second, followed by Grazen Sky a length back in third.

Richard’s Boy, who broke from the rail, led early with fractions of :22.88 and :46.11 through a half-mile, with Smack Talk just to his outside and Gimme Da Lute a length and a half back.

But the race was essentially over once Garcia opened Gimme Da Lute up, as he ran six furlongs in 1:10.12 and hit the wire at 1:22.37 on a fast dirt track.

The winner brought $2.80, $2.40, and $2.10 across the board. Rocko’s Wheel paid $4.80 and $2.80, while Grazen Sky delivered $2.20 to show.

Bred in California, out of the Proud Citizen   mare Casino Gold, Gimme Da Lute now has a 5-1-2 record from eight career starts, with $567,560 in earnings. He’s won three straight stakes, including the Affirmed Stakes (gr. III) June 7 and the Los Alamitos Derby (gr. II) July 4.

Richard’s Boy faded to fourth, followed by Smack Talk and Neveradoubt, to complete the order of finish.