Fulsome posts his third Graded victory

Fulsome rallied from last place to overcome the field and win the Gr.3 Oaklawn Mile by a neck.

Taken from the thoroughbred Daily News, 3rd April 2022:

Winner of last year's age-restricted Oaklawn Stakes going nine furlongs, homebred Fulsome overcame a bit of trouble at the break and outgamed odds-on Cezanne in Saturday's Oaklawn Mile.

Pinched back soon after the start between Necker Island and Silver Prospector, Fulsome was clearly last to make clubhouse turn, as Market Analysis set the pace in advance of the rail-drawn Runnin' Ray, with Cezanne stalking three wide off the solid tempo. Three lengths detached from the rest of his rivals as they headed down the backstretch, Fulsome was ridden reasonably quietly by Florent Geroux while tacking on prior to the entry to the turn.

Improving three wide on the bend, Fulsome was angled out sharply in front of a weakening Law Professor and outside of Roadster, put Cezanne to the sword while lugging in a bit with 100 yards to race and held grimly for the victory.

"He always tries and that's kind of what I was hoping for coming into this race - we were going to see some pace," said winning trainer Brad Cox. "I think lots of times the mile races here at Oaklawn, you get some pace. They don't always back up, but they are quick enough. The horses up close were the ones we went by. It didn't completely fall apart, but he was able to get things set up for him and he made a big run and had his momentum down the lane. He ran big."

Fulsome followed up on his success locally with a highly impressive victory in the Gr.3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill in late May, but was fractionally disappointing when third in the Gr.3 Indiana Derby in July. The bay bounced back with a two-length score in the Gr.3 Smarty Jones Stakes, but was a well-beaten fourth to Hot Rod Charlie when last seen in the Gr.1 Pennsylvania Derby in September 2021.