Handsome Prince posts career best at Gulfstream

Handsome Mike picked up his 22nd winner of 2021 with the stylish victory of Handsome Prince in a 5 1/2-furlong race at Gulfstream Park yesterday.

The 4-year-old bred by Just For Fun Stable had little-known Ronney Betancourt in the irons, but it mattered little as he guided the gelding to a 4 3/4-length score while getting the best out of him – a career-topping Equibase ‘E’ speed rating of 89.

Handsome Prince was off fourth and Betancourt was content to keep him out in the four path down the backstretch. He cruised up to third coming to the turn, challenged the leader turning for home, and coasted to the wire without a challenge as announcer Pete Aiello shouted, “They’re all left in the wake of Handsome Prince.”

The gelding was clocked in 1:04.68, paid $20.80 and earned a check for $11,600, which bumped Handsome Mike up to $791,406 as he heads for his third straight $1 million season. Handsome Prince is 3-3-5 in 20 tries with earnings of $71,290.

Handsome Mike is eighth on Florida’s leading sire list among active stallions.