A pair of 4-year-olds from the Eisaman training program won stakes Dec. 30 in Florida, with Appealing Stella getting her first black type win at Tampa Bay Downs and veteran stakes performer Indiano getting his fifth career added-money victory at Gulfstream Park.

At Tampa Bay Downs, 4-year-old Appealing Stella rallied from well off the pace to post a 1 ¼-length victory in the $50,000 Minaret S. for fillies and mares.

It was the first stakes victory for Appealing Stella and the first for Rucielo as a dam, as well as the first as an owner for Cindy Nassal, who bred the winner with her husband Bill at their Stonecliff Farm in Ocala. Appealing Stella was sired by Closing Argument.

Trained by Jane Cibelli and ridden by Angel Serpa, Appealing Stella who has raced only as a 4-year-old, won for the fourth time in 12 career starts following an impressive allowance/optional claiming triumph at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 7.

Becausei’mworthit, under jockey Antonio Gallardo, sprinted to a six-length lead, raising concerns Appealing Stella would run out of real estate. But Serpa kept her to task down the lane and she proved the best against five rivals who all have won at least one stakes. The winner’s time for the six furlongs on a track labeled “wet-fast” was 1:12.57.

“I was kind of hoping something would go out with (Becausei’mworthit), and when she got loose on the lead I got a little nervous,” Cibelli said. “But I thought Angel did a super job. He relaxed her, he didn’t panic and he sat still and rode his race. The (runner-up) backed up a little and it all worked out.”

“The race set up really well for us,” said Serpa. “The speed was all inside, so I was able to wait with her until the turn. She put in a solid run to get into second place leaving the turn.

“She was drifting in a bit in midstretch, but I got her to change leads and she gave me another run for the win.”

On the same day at Gulfstream Park, Indiano scored a professional-looking three-quarter length win in the $100,000 Mr. Prospector S. (G3), the fifth career stakes win for the 4-year-old.

“It was different this time just having a race in him,” said trainer Marty Wolfson, whose steady-running stakes performer had come off a four-month layoff for the Pelican S. last time out at Tampa Bay Downs. “He’s a better horse than Action Andy. I knew that last time, but that horse was fresh and had been training at Tampa. My horse just got up there that day.”

Indiano was rated in fourth along the backstretch behind a solid pace set by Dreaming of Neno and closely attended by Off the Jack and Action Andy. When Dreaming of Neno weakened on the far turn, Off the Jack and Action Andy were left to battle it out into the stretch as Indiano began to roll. The eventual winner caught the leaders in mid-stretch, then dug in gamely to edge clear late under Luis Saez.

“My horse is very good and I put him in a good spot,” Saez said. “John Velazquez tried to push us out a little, but I knew we would win this race.”

Indiano ran six-furlongs in 1:10.26 to collect his 10th victory in 17 starts for Stud El Aguila. Besides the Mr. Prospector, he won the Grade 2 Carry Back S. at Calder as well as three other listed stakes.

Wolfson said the son of Indian Charlie will likely run next at Gulfstream later in the meeting.