Michele Blanco
Calder Race Course
 
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Quantum Racing Team #1’s 5-year-old gelding Mambo Meister won the $100,000 Memorial Day Handicap (G3) at Calder Casino & Race Course on Monday easily, drawing off under jockey Manoel Cruz to win by 7¾ lengths over Causeway’s Kin.
 
Sent off as the 4-to-5 favorite, Mambo Meister raced off an easy pace set by Cinnamon Road and jockey Luis Saez.  Nearing the quarter pole, Mambo Meister was asked to run and he seized the lead, eventually opening up in the stretch to cover the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.70.  Cinnamon Road finished third, a neck behind Causeway’s Kin.
 
Phil Gleaves trains Mambo Meister, who also won the $100,000 Miami Mile Handicap (G3) on turf at Calder on April 25, Opening Day of the 2010 season.  Last fall, Mambo Meister also won the $100,000 Spend A Buck Handicap (G3) at Calder on the main track.  Today’s victory improves Mambo Meister’s lifetime record to 28-9-4-5 and earnings of $483,025.  All nine of his wins have occurred at Calder.
 
At the mutuel windows, Mambo Meister paid $3.60, $2.20 and $2.10.  Causeway’s Kin, the second choice in the betting, returned $2.40 and $2.40 (prices OK); Cinnamon Road paid $3.20 to show.
 
Winning trainer’s quotes:

Phil Gleaves – “The race didn’t set up quite like I expected (Cinnamon Road alone on the lead in slow fractions), but we left it up to Manoel (Cruz) and he wisely let him go when he was begging to go to the lead. We’ll savor this win and discuss where we’ll go from here, on the road like we did last summer. We do plan on having him back here for the Spend a Buck again in October (16).”
 
Winning jockey’s quotes:

Manoel Cruz – “Mr. Gleaves told me the same thing today as he did last time out,  ‘You know him, so just ride him the way you think you have to depending on the pace.’  The pace was slower than I expected, so we were closer to the leaders than usual after breaking sharply.  This horse is doing very well right now, he is at 100 percent.”