My Purple Haze Stables' Cool Arrow's class came out in the stretch run of the Sept. 5 $100,000 Smile Sprint Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park, allowing the multiple-stakes winner to notch his first graded stakes score.
The 6-year-old gelded son of Into Mischief , who won the 2016 Springboard Mile Stakes at Remington Park, captured his third straight victory for trainer Terri Pompay while living up to the expectations of the bettors who sent him to post in the Smile Sprint as the even-money favorite.
While his victories in a June 21 optional claiming allowance and the Aug. 2 Opening Lead Stakes both at Gulfstream were dominating and achieved by open lengths, Cool Arrow had to work much harder to prevail over Krsto Skye by three-quarters of a length in the Smile Sprint.
"Usually he gets a little breather in his races and kind of regroups. He didn't get the chance to get a breather this time. He had to keep on rolling the whole way," said Pompay after saddling her first graded stakes winner since scoring with Currency Swap in the 2012 Amsterdam Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course. "When I saw him switch his leads, I thought I'd see a burst. He was coming forward, but they weren't coming back. I didn't think he was going to get there for a minute, but then I knew he was going to get there. He's so powerful. He has such a long stride, so once he gets rolling, he's makes up a lot of ground."
Cool Arrow was rated a few lengths off the pace set by longshot Weisser along the backstretch and followed Krsto Skye as he pulled alongside the tiring pacesetter on the turn into the homestretch. After fractions of :22.47 and :44.70 for the first half-mile, Krsto Skye moved to the lead with Cool Arrow in hot pursuit. Krsto Skye, who was ridden by Emisael Jaramillo, showed no signs of weakening in the stretch, but Cool Arrow gained momentum late to get the job done.
"He broke good and got perfect position. I waited to ask him at the quarter-pole. He responded in the stretch and got there," jockey Leonel Reyes said.
Cool Arrow ran six furlongs in 1:08.82 on a fast track to win the 10th race of his career. Krsto Skye finished second, three lengths ahead of Double Crown. Pompay said she is uncertain where Cool Arrow will race next.
"I don't know if he's getting better, but his talent is starting to come out more and more, and more confidence he's getting," Pompay said.
Cool Arrow, who has earned $594,423 in purses, was purchased by My Purple Haze Stables for $50,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Summer Select Horses of Racing Age Sale. Bred in Kentucky by H. Allen Poindexter, Cool Arrow is out of the winning Mr Purple mare Phoenicia. He is the mare's second black-type winner and first graded winner. She has a 2-year-old full brother named Chieficia, who has not started yet, and a yearling colt by Frosted that is cataloged as Hip 298 by Wynnstay Sales in the Sept. 9-10 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase. She was bred this year to Good Samaritan.
