Poiema runs Gulfstream fillies ‘off their feet’

As Poiema was widening her lead to seven lengths down the stretch in the ninth race at Gulfstream Park yesterday, announcer Pete Aiello brought her home with “the stretchout for Poiema proves a very good move . . . she runs this field off their feet.”

At the wire, Edgar Perez had the 3-year-old Neolithic filly geared down, and she still was able to pick up her second victory by nearly nine lengths. Poiema had been sprinting, and tiring, for owner/trainer Larry Bates, who changed the modus operandi for this race, sending her a flat mile. She responded by getting the distance in 1:34.31, just over a second off the track record, and receiving an Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 103, 31 points better than her previous high. She is her sire’s ninth winner of 2022 with just 20 starters.

Poiema is defined as ‘workmanship,’ a fitting description for her best performance in this $51,000 allowance optional claimer. She earned a check for $31,300, increasing her bank account to $98,670. Bred by Cheryl Jane and James Patrick McGuire, she was a $14,000 OBS June 2-year-old.