Carried Interest Second in Gulfstream Return

Three-year-old prospect Carried Interest ran second as the 1-2 favorite in an allowance event at Gulfstream Park Feb. 24 in his first race since finishing second in last fall's Futurity Stakes (gr. II) at Belmont Park.

City of Weston, benefitting from a good pace duel between Carried Interest and Pro Prospect, caught Carried Interest in the stretch and prevailed in a drive by half a length under Luis Saez at odds of 9-1. The final time for the six-furlong test of 3-year-olds was a swift 1:09.23 over a fast track.

Carried Interest, who put away Pro Prospect after battling head-and-head through quarter mile fractions of :22.45 and :44.79, settled for second with Joel Rosario aboard, 4 1/2 lengths better than Pro Prospect.

In spite of the defeat, trainer Rick Violette Jr. was pleased with the effort of Klaravich Stables and William H. Lawrence's Carried Interest, who showed considerable promise in two starts as a 2-year-old. He won his debut at Belmont Park in July, and after some time off, he finished second to the well-regarded Overanalyze   in the Futurity Sept. 30.

Chronic sore shins sent the son of Henny Hughes to the sidelines.

"He ran huge," Violette said of the comeback effort. "It was worst case scenario for him from the start after the layoff, being hooked from the start in fast fractions, but I was very pleased with his race. He tried to come back after the other horse got by him. I just wish we could have switched trips."

He added: "I don't have anything specifically picked out for his next race, whether it will be another allowance or a stakes, but he'll be ready."

Carried Interest, bred in Kentucky by Nesco II Ltd. out of the Quiet American mare Missamerica Bertie, was a $190,000 Ocala Breeders' Sale Co.'s March 2-year-old sale purchase.

Cloud Nine Lumoni's City of Weston is a roan/gray son of Holy Bull trained by Antonio Sano. He was making his 14th career start while posting his second win, and was making his fourth appearance of the meet. He ran well to finish second at 50-to-1 behind Merit Man in the Spectacular Bid Stakes New Year's Day and finished third and second in his last two races run under allowance conditions.

City of Weston paid $20 for $2 to win.