Major Pryce is ‘easy money’ at Gulfstream

With just 14 days remaining in the 2022 racing year, Bucchero has again tied Awesome Slew for the Florida freshman sire lead in the winners’ department. It took her eight tries to accomplish it, but Major Pryce became winner No. 12 for Bucchero with a dominating performance in the second race at Gulfstream Park yesterday.

A main difference between her first seven starts and No. 8? Yesterday, champion rider Irad Ortiz Jr. was aboard for the first time. Major Pryce broke well in the race at a mile and 70 yards over the Tapeta surface, and Ortiz settled her into third place on the inside down the backstretch. She began a powerful run approaching the final turn, came three wide into the stretch, and cruised to the wire a widening 6 1/2 lengths in front fueled by announcer Pete Aiello’s call – “at one-to-two Major Pryce is easy money!”

Major Pryce, bred by Judy Bassett and Debora Morgan and a $27,000 OBS March 2-year-old, was clocked in 1:41.93 and paid $3 as the heavy favorite. She earned a check for $19,600, boosting her total to $38,200.