Paynter colt takes maiden special weight in 2018 debut

Briny Marlin emerged from a wall of horses at the top of the Gulfstream Park stretch to get his first career win in a six-furlong maiden special weight race on Jan. 20.

The 3-year-old Paynter colt, who was a $200,000 purchase at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, was making his first start since his career debut in September.

The winner, who was in between horses through the first half-mile, then battled for the lead with Frankie Apps until taking over with a furlong to run, winning by 1 1/4-lengths.

Briny Marlin is owned by St. Elias Stable and West Point Thoroughbreds and was bred by Sally Andersen. Out of More Oats Please, Briny Marlin is a half-brother to Alcibiades S. (G1) winner Peace and War.

Paynter was the sire of four stakes horses and 13 individual winners from his first crop of runners in 2017.