(Chart, Equibase)
Kaufy Mate swept to a 4 1/2 -length victory in Saturday's $250,000 Aventura Stakes at Gulfstream Park, an ungraded stakes for 3-year-olds. Humorously was second and Baronage third. Ridden by Manoel Cruz, Kaufy Mate ran 1 1-16 miles in 1:44 3/5 and paid $11.80, $6.00 and $4.40. Humorously paid $5.40 and $4.40 and Baronage paid $6 to show. Kaufy Mate, the upset winner of the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay in February and fifth in the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III) in his last start, stalked pacesetter Forest Grove and Humorously for the first half-mile, then quickly gained command on the far turn."My first thought was to send him when he broke good," Cruz said. "I just wanted to be to be 1-2-3, but I decided if I couldn't rate him I would send him. But he rated good for me. At the half-mile pole I had a ton of horse so I sent him then and he really took off for me."Kaufy Mate, the Florida-bred son of Diligence, boosted his earnings to $243,230 with his fourth victory in seven starts. Gregory Kaufman owns him.Kaufy Mate is not nominated to the Triple Crown."I give all my credit to my owner for nominating this horse because I didn't want to put him in here," said winning trainer Kirk Ziadie. "I wanted to put him on the shelf. We got him patched up as best we could and now we can give him the break. This is not a Derby horse. He's still playing. He's got his ears flicking around, and you never know, he could get better and better, but this horse has had some problems."