Hook and Ladder caught Kipperscope in the stretch and pulled away to a 3 1/4 -length victory Sunday in the $100,000 Mr. Prospector Handicap (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park.Pacesetter Kipperscope maintained second place, finishing 2 3/4 lengths ahead of Red's Honor. Second choice Istintaj was a head-length farther back in fourth, followed by Silver Jet, Winnie's Pooh Bear, Tempered Appeal, and Brereton.
Ridden by John Velazquez and trained by John Kimmel, favored Hook and Ladder covered the six furlongs in 1:09.69 on a fast track. The 5-year-old son of Dixieland Band paid $3.60, $3, and $2.40, while Kipperscope paid $8.20 and $4.20. Red's Honor paid $3.80 to show. The winning exacta combination returned $40.40.
Hook and Ladder is owned by Mary and Chester Broman and has won five of 13 starts, winning $375,800. The Mr. Prospector marked Hook and Ladder's fourth start over the Gulfstream Park strip and his fourth win. Last year, he won the Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Sprint Handicap (gr. II) there after taking an optional claiming race and an allowance by open lengths. Bred by Marshall Naify, Hook and Ladder sold for $800,000 in July 2000 as part of the 505 Farms dispersal following Naify's death. (Chart, Equibase)
Hook and Ladder pulls away to win the Mr. Prospector.
