(Edited Gulfstream Park report)

Rolando Rodriguez had made up his mind.

Emotionally drained and concerned for the long-term health of his young horse, Rodriguez was prepared to end the suffering.

“He was underdeveloped in behind,” says Rodriguez, who watched the horse struggle to make his way around the barn as a youngster. “He was developing rashes and burns and it was driving me crazy. I was ready to put him to sleep.”

But rather than heed the advice of several veterinarians – none of whom had offered any words of encouragement about the horse’s prospects of living a normal life – Rodriguez listened to his wife.

“She begged me to wait and give him time,” says Rodriguez. “She loves all kinds of animals and didn’t want us to lose him.”

A month later, husband and wife were getting strange looks in the barn because they were celebrating the colt’s newfound confidence, and his first few, good steps, with chants of “He finally made it.” 

On Saturday afternoon, Rolando and Beatrice will share a pre-race kiss before looking down proudly on their homebred as Finallymadeit enters the starting gate for the 1 1/8 miles, $1 million OBS Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park.

A 5-year-old homebred son of Concerto, Finallymadeit heads into the race having won or placed in 23 of 37 starts.

He had five wins in 15 starts last year, including a wire-to-wire win in the Grade 3, $100,000 Fred W. Hooper Handicap at Calder, his first career graded-stakes victory.

A 16-1 longshot in the $200,000 Carl G. Rose Handicap, Finallymadeit ran away to a 6 1/4-length romp over Dream Maestro for the second consecutive time.

And expectations remain high for Rodriguez’s front-running “Miracle Horse,” who has career earnings of $661,265.

While he will have to overcome a strong field in the OBS Classic, including Macho Again, Atoned and Delightful Kiss, Rodriguez expects to be making another trip to the winner’s circle.

Jockey Eduardo Nunez is usually under orders to let Finallymadeit relax, but even with the competition around him Saturday, Rodriguez believes his horse will respond.

“If Eduardo follows our plans we should be right in there, no problem,” says the Cuban-born Rodriguez, who wasn’t pleased with the handling of the horse in his last start, an eighth-place finish Hal’s Hope.

“If we get out front I don’t see how we won’t have a chance (to win), or at the very least stay in there the whole way.”

Quite a contrast for a willing but slow horse who struggled to get around the barn. He didn’t take his first steps until he was 3 months old.

Rodriguez credits his refusal to give the allergy-prone horse any medicine or supplements, opting instead for plenty of Grade A hay from Ocala, which is loaded with calcium and minerals, and yuca, the tropical root vegetable that is filled with vitamin C.

He is also fond of trainer Javier Negrete’s work ethic in the barn.

“He’s the first one in the barn and the last one to leave,” Rodriguez said.

“Everything was a challenge for (Finallymadeit),” says Negrete. “But now he always wants to be the first one in everything we do.”

Negrete, who worked for Pepe Mendez before obtaining his own trainer’s license, took over Rodriguez’s stable in 2006. He says the bond he and Rodriguez developed is another key to the colt’s success – and survival.

Negrete and Rodriguez meet on a regular basis to discuss workouts, future plans and the overall condition of the horse.

“I feel lucky because Rolando has trusted my ability as a trainer, and my judgment as well,” adds Negrete. “I’m very proud to be in this situation.”

Finallymadeit is the first stakes winner out of the stakes-winning Gold Alert mare Gold for My Gal. Negrete is as confident as Rodriguez – or even more so – about running well in the OBS Classic, even after the eighth-place finish in the Hal’s Hope.

“The mile last time out bothered him,” says Negrete. “He’s used to making the two turns. This race suits him better.”