Istintaj Seeks Repeat in Mr. Prospector

Istintaj showed his liking for Gulfstream Park's racing strip last year when he ran twice in stakes races and won both of those races. One of them was the Mr. Prospector Handicap (gr. III) and, according to trainer Mark Hennig, the 6-year-old will be back to seek a repeat victory in this year's running of the race, which carries a $100,000 purse and will be run over six furlongs Sunday.
"He ran well here last year," Hennig said. "He's just a little horse but he ran like a tiger. I hope he can regain that form he showed and run the same way this year. I'm going to find out in the Mr. Prospector."
Hennig had his best meet ever at Gulfstream in 2001 and won more stakes races (six) than any other trainer. Two of his horses were double stakes winners: Istintaj, who won the Deputy Minister Handicap in addition to the Mr. Prospector, and Gold Mover, who won the Forward Gal (gr. III) and Cadillacing Stakes.
Hennig, a 36-year-old native of Mansfield, Ohio, also saddled Mystic Lady to win the Herecomesthebride Stakes (gr. III) and Call it Off, to win a division of the Super Track Racing Series.
Istintaj came from off the pace to win the Mr. Prospector by two lengths and came right back to win the six and one-half furlong Deputy Minister Handicap (gr. III) by a half length in his subsequent start at Gulfstream last year. They were the only victories of the year for Istintaj, who only started four more times in 2001.