Mr. Angel Is Winner at Hialeah

Mr. Angel, the odds-on favorite, ran away with the $100,000 Everglades Stakes for 3-year-olds at Hialeah Sunday.

Pad closed with a rush for second and Ali’lbito’reality rallied to finish third in a field of nine going 1 1/8 mile.

The Everglades once was an important Kentucky Derby prep which attracted such outstanding horses as Citation, Gen. Duke, Carry Back, Bold Ruler and Decidedly, but no longer carries much meaning.

This year’s race was run on the grass for the first time and the field was anything but outstanding. Mr. Angel, the 3-5 favorite and seven-length winner, finished 13th in this year’s Florida Derby -- 39 lengths behind the winning Holy Bull.

But he was much the best Sunday. Ridden by Herb McCauley, Mr. Angel was timed in 1:48 and paid $3.40, $2.80 and $2.20. Pad paid $6.60 and $3.20. Ali’lbito’reality paid $2.80 to show.

The winner, a New York-bred son of Cormorant owned by Marian Prince, has won three of four starts on grass, including two stakes. He has also won two of four on dirt and has earned $138,087.

In the oddly run race, Who’s John Galt led on the first turn with Mr. Angel stalking him in second, a length behind.

With a half-mile to run, Who’s John Galt led Mr. Angel by a half-length with the third horse, Clint Essential, 15 lengths farther back.

Leaving the far turn, Mr. Angel romped past Who’s John Galt, opening up an eight-length lead.

He still had that margin at the wire as Pad and Ali’lbito’reality closed with a rush with Pad second by a length.