Owner-trainer Amy Tarrant’s veteran 6-year-old stakes performer drove to a hard-fought neck victory over Charle Fipke’s 6-year-old Society’s Kid to capture the $100,000 Fort Lauderdale Handicap at Gulfstream Park as less than a length covered the first five in a field of 11 at the finish of the 1 1/16 miles turf test.

Jockey Elvis Trujillo was posting his third victory of the afternoon aboard Kiss the Kid, a son of Lemon Drop Kid making his first start since capturing the Cliff Hanger Stakes (G3) at Meadowlands on Oct. 10. Alphonse Bowe’s A.P. Magic finished third, a half-length behind the runner-up, and Ol Memorial Stable and C.E. Glasscock’s 3-1 favorite Buffalo Man checked in eighth without mounting a threat.

Kissing Kis was largely overlooked and paid $24.60 and was timed in 1:40:50 for the 1 1/16 miles on ‘firm’ turf.

Winning Jockey Quotes

Elvis Trujillo:

"I felt like he finally started to relax after the first half-mile, and we really picked it up at that point. I felt good about our chances from there, but you can't always be extremely confident, especially with a strong field. They all showed they belonged (in the race) as you saw. The trainer just told me to try and relax the horse going in, and we were fortunate to have a little extra there at the end. I was pushing (the horse) a little down the stretch and we came through."

Winning Owner-Trainer Quotes

Amy Tarrant:

“He was coming off a nice Grade 3 win (Cliff Hanger Stakes at Meadowlands, Oct. 10). He ran a great race coming off that kind of layoff. This will be perfect as a tune-up for the Gulfstream Park Turf (a Grade 1 stakes on Feb. 1). He is versatile. He ran third in the Donn Handicap (G1) last year as (46-1) longshot, but I do think he is a little better on turf. He’s just a real nice hard-knocking horse.”

Fractions:

23:95, 48:38, 1:11:28, 1:34:57 and 1:40:50.