HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Take the Points won the battle, registering an apparent 1 1/2-length victory over Court Vision in Saturday's $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap. But he ultimately lost the war after being disqualified from first and was placed fifth for allegedly impeding Yate's Black Cat near the sixteenth pole in the Grade 1 event.
     Trainer Todd Pletcher said there is a possibility Take the Points' owner, the Starlight Partners, might appeal the decision.
     "We'll consider an appeal for a couple of reasons," said Pletcher. "First of all, if you look at the turf course you don't get a true head-on replay. I felt our horse was far enough clear at the time of the incident. The other horse obviously caught our heel but I felt the 1 horse [Le Grand Cru] hit our horse and turned us sideways, and there was no way what happened affected the outcome. There was no way the horse he was supposed to have bothered was ever going to beat him. It was a borderline call, and when you have a borderline call in a Grade 1 race you should leave it alone."
     Take the Points, already a two-time Grade 1 winner, raced under jockey Edgar Prado within easy striking distance of pacesetter Le Grand Cru. Take the Points eased out to engage the leaders entering the stretch, gained a short advantage leaving the furlong grounds, angled in while beginning to edge clear near the sixteenth pole, and won going away.
     Court Vision raced wide and rallied mildly to be second across the finish line, finishing a neck in front of the wide-running Never on Sunday. Yate's Black Cat was attempting to split the leaders with his bid nearing midstretch when he clipped heels, stumbled, and lose all chance.
     Court Vision, who is owned by a partnership that includes the IEAH Stables, Resolute Group Stables, and WinStar Farm was the 4-5 favorite in a field of six and paid $3.80. He was ridden by Robby Albarado. Final time for 1 1/8 miles was 1:46.84 over a firm course.
     "That's the first time I ever was placed first in a Grade 1 race," said Court Vision's trainer, Rick Dutrow Jr. "My horse needed the race, Robby said he got tired galloping out. Our horse ran good, Todd's horse ran good, and I'm happy we got the money."