Servis-Lopez sweep Silks Run, Captiva Island

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Jason Servis and jockey Paco Lopez were kings of the Gulfstream Park turf Saturday after combining to win both the $75,000 Silks Run Stakes and its filly counterpart, the $75,000 Captiva Island.

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Both races were five furlongs on the grass.

Vision Perfect got Servis, who was not in attendance for his two stakes victories, and Lopez off on the right foot when finishing full of run down the center of the course en route to a convincing 4 3/4-length decision over defending champion Pay Any Price in the Silks Run. Buccero, who finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint last fall at Del Mar, was another three parts of a length farther back in third.

The win was the first for Vision Perfect since haltered for $80,000 by the Mr. Amore Stable and turned over to Servis last June, and the first for the son of Pollard’s Vision since October 2016. Vision Perfect completed five furlongs over a firm course in 55.20 seconds and returned $10.80.

Darkness enveloped the track by the time the field reached the starting gate for the Captiva Island nearly five hours later, but the poor visibility could not deter Servis and Lopez from completing their sweep of the afternoon’s co-features. This time is was Blue Bahia, who slipped up the rail under deft handling by Lopez to out-finish the 8-5 favorite Morticia and register a three-quarter-length triumph for her third win in her last four starts.

Morticia, making her 2018 debut, raced wide while forcing the pace from the outset but could not match strides with the winner at the end. She finished a half-length in front of Girls Know Best, who rallied mildly to be third.

The victory was justice, of sorts, for Blue Bahia, who appeared on her way to a sure win in the Lady’s Turf Sprint here last month only to stumble badly and nearly unseat Lopez after stepping in a hole near midstretch. Blue Bahia, a 5-year-old daughter of Wildcat Heir owned by Dennis Drazin, paid $6.00.

“I had a perfect trip. I loved my position today,” Lopez said after the Captiva Island. “My filly likes to come from behind and she always tries. My filly didn’t stumble like she did the last time. The last time I got in perfect position and she stumbled very badly. Today I was very lucky.”