Track Times Today - With Bernie Dickman - Racing, Breeding, Pari-Mutuels

Sunday, April 27, 2025

Defeats stablemate by 1 1/2 lengths . . .

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Cheyenne Stable’s Ozara made a three-wide swoop to the lead on the turn into the homestretch to get the jump on stablemate Breath Away and drew away to a 1 ½-length victory in Saturday’s $75,000 Monroe Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Ozara ($6) and Breath Away, the 8-5 favorite in a field of nine fillies and mares assembled for the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes, are trained by Christophe Clement.

“They were the probably the two best fillies in the race and they ran like it today,” Miguel Clement, Clement’s son and assistant trainer, said.

Swoonatra, a 50-1 outsider ridden by Luca Panici, set up the showdown between the Clement stablemates by opening up a long early lead while setting fractions of 23.95 and 47.28 seconds for the first half mile over a firm turf. Breath Away, on the rail, and Ozara, to her outside, settled in third and fourth, respectively along the backstretch. On the far turn, Breath Away and Ozara advanced while overtaking De Regreso to loom as ominous threats to the tiring pacesetter. Ozara and jockey Emisael Jaramillo had the clearer path as jockey Paco Lopez had to check slightly behind the tiring Swoonatra.

Breath Away kicked in with a strong run in the stretch, but Ozara had already put the race away. The victorious 4-year-old Irish-bred daughter of Lope de Vegas ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:39.84. Breath Away finished 1 ¾ lengths ahead of Sensitivity and jockey Rajiv Maragh.

“This race made a lot of sense for both fillies. It’s a black-type event. They were both at Payson and they were training really well,” Miguel Clement said. “We expected them both to run well, which they did. The immediate plan was the race.”

Ozara, who captured the Wait a While during the 2023-2024 Championship Meet, won a Jan. 3 optional claiming allowance at Tampa Bay Downs off a nine-month layoff before coming up short in a sixth-place finish in the Honey Fox (G3) at Gulfstream March 29.

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Steven Rocco and Tango Uniform Racing’s Breath Away, a graded stakes-placed 5-year-old daughter of Bated Breath, is also a stakes winner over the Gulfstream turf.

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Neoequos Breezes at Gulfstream, Joseph Looking for Derby

Thursday, April 24, 2025

May have to settle for Derby day undercard . . .

HALLANDALE BEACH - C2 Racing Stable, Ian Parsard, Shining Stables and Stefania Farms’ Neoequos breezed a half-mile this morning at Gulfstream Park in preparation for a desired start in the May 3 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Florida-bred colt, who finished third in both the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby and $400,000 Coolmore Fountain of Youth 1 at Gulfstream, sits 21st in the qualifying points standings for the first leg of the Triple Crown. The 3-year-old son of Neolithic will need a defection from the current Top 20 to run in the 1 ¼-mile Run for the Roses.

Neoequos worked in company with Mr. Narcissistic and finished on even terms with his veteran stablemate in 48.43 seconds, the fastest four-furlong clocking of the morning.

“It went good. He worked in company. He was inside his workmate. It was his last breeze and we were just looking for maintenance,” Joseph said. “It went well. He’s in good form.” Joseph reported that Neoequos will ship to Churchill Downs Friday morning.

“We feel like we can get into the Derby, but if he doesn’t get in, he’ll run in one of the other races Derby Day,” he said.

If unsuccessful drawing into the Derby field, Neoequos would run in either the Gr. I American Turf or the Gr. II Pat Day Mile on the undercard.

“Right now, we’re leaning to the American Turf, but the Pat Day Mile, I’d say, is also in contention,” said Joseph. Flavien Prat will be named on Neoequos and would ride him in the Derby unless Baeza, who sits 23rd in the points standings, also drew into the field.

Neoequos’ career got off to a rocky start last July when he stumbled and lost his rider early in his debut at five furlongs. The Florida-bred colt bounced back to graduate in his next start before finishing second in the first two legs of the Florida Sire Stakes series behind undefeated Rated by Merit, who produced the fastest Beyer Speed Figure (99) of all 2025 juveniles in the seven-furlong FSS Affirmed.

Neoequos was sharp off a layoff to win a Jan. 23 allowance by 3 ½ lengths before finishing third behind Sovereignty and River Thames in the 1 1/16-mile Coolmore Fountain of Youth and again in the 1 1/8-mile Curlin Florida Derby behind Tappan Street and Sovereignty, both of whom are Kentucky Derby-bound.

Joseph-trained Early On has secured a start in the May 2 Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill on the strength of a second-place finish in the March 15 Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs and a runner-up finish in the April 5 Gazelle (G3) at Aqueduct. The New York-bred daughter of Union Rags graduated at Gulfstream in her 2025 debut on Feb. 5.

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OBS Grads Add to Stakes Resumes

Monday, April 21, 2025

Cabo Spirit wins Gr. III American Stakes at Santa Anita . . .

Kretz Racing’s Cabo Spirit (Pioneerof the Nile-Fancy Day (IRE), by Shamardal) added to his million-dollar bankroll when he scored a front-running victory in the $100,000, Gr. III American Stakes on the turf at Santa Anita Park to lead the slate of stakes-winning OBS grads over the weekend.

Trained by George Papaprodromou, Cabo Spirit crossed the wire in 1:34.42 to win by three-quarters of a length. His previous graded stakes wins included the Gr. III La Jolla Handicap at Del Mar, Gr. II Twilight Derby at Santa Anita, and Gr. II John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita.

“He is a really nice horse. Since we gelded him, he is much more relaxed in his races,” Papaprodromou told the Santa Anita publicity team. “He is a nice horse and hopefully we can win some more races with him.”

A 6-year-old gelding, Cabo Spirit was consigned to the 2021 OBS April Sale by Eddie Woods, Agent, and purchased for $575,000 by Gayle Van Leer, Agent, after breezing a quarter in :20 4/5.

At Aqueduct on April 19, R and H Stable’s New York-bred Mo Plex (Complexity-Mo Joy, by Uncle Mo) earned a head score in the $150,000 Bay Shore Stakes.

Trained by Jeremiah Englehart, the colt previously prevailed in the Gr. III Sanford and state-bred Funny Cide Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. He was a $45,000 purchase by JCE Racing out of the Hoppel consignment at last year’s OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training after breezing quarter in :21 1/5.

Three OBS grads earned stakes wins at Laurel Park.

Pay Billy (Improbable - Harlington's Rose, by Harlington) earned a guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the $2,000,000 Preakness Stakes on May 17 when he captured the $150,000 Federico Tesio Stakes. Trained by Michael Gorham, the bay colt was purchased by RKTN Racing for $60,000 from the Scanlon Training & Sales consignment at the 2024 OBS April’s OBS Juvenile auction after breezing in :10 2/5.

In the $150,000 Weber City Miss Stakes, Complexity Jane (Complexity - Bestinthebusiness, by Ghostzapper) put her opponents to sleep with a pacesetting victory. Owned by Michael Golden of Golden Lion Racing, Complexity Jane was purchased by Sycamore Hall Thoroughbreds for $170,000 at the 2024 March Sale from the Scanlon Training & Sales consignment after breezing in :10 1/5.

“We went down to OBS looking for a nice horse,” trainer Brittany Russell told the Laurel Park publicity team. “She was one of the top fillies on the list that we liked, and we got her. I couldn’t believe it, honestly. I was pumped. Out of all of them, she was the one I wanted.”

In the $100,000 Henry S. Clark Stakes, Signator (Tapit - Pension, by Seeking the Gold) avoided traffic congestion early and persevered late for a half-length victory for trainer Shug McGaughey. Owned by a group led by West Point Thoroughbreds, Signator was a $1.7 million purchase by Lane's End Racing & West Point Thoroughbreds from the Eddie Woods consignment out of the 2022 OBS April Sale after breezing in :20 4/5.

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Gulfstream Announces FBIF Restructuring

Sunday, April 20, 2025

Will provide more than $2 million to owners . . .

HALLANDALE BEACH - Gulfstream Park has announced the restructuring of the Florida Breeders’ Incentive Fund (FBIF) that is projected to provide over $2 million to owners beginning May 1.

Previously, the FBIF only included claiming races of $25,000 and up, including maiden special weight, allowance and overnight handicap events. Now, the FBIF will be open to all races, regardless of value. The only exception will be state-bred races.

Gulfstream also announced that FBIF race incentives, which were offering $5,000 per race, will be raised to $6,000 per race in maiden special weight, allowance and overnight handicaps.

“We appreciate the work that went into this, and our focus is to have the best summer meet possible,” said Tom Cannell, president of the Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen.

Bill Badgett, executive director of Florida Racing Operations for Gulfstream Park, said; “The restructuring of the Florida Breeders’ Incentive Fund will provide additional incentives to Florida owners. We look forward to continuing working with horsemen to make Gulfstream’s summer meet a success.

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Leinster Gets 2nd Winner

Friday, April 18, 2025

Pleasant Acres stallion off to fast start . . .

HALLANDALE BEACH - Amy Dunne and trainer Patrick Biancone’s Squire ($7.20) graduated at first asking today at Gulfstream Park, providing his connections with their second 2-year-old winner by first-year stallion Leinster.

“That stallion, Leinster! I’ve got two runners by him and they both win – and I have some more at home that are as good as that. Maybe Leinster is the new Mr. Prospector,” said Biancone through a wry smile.

Dunne and Biancone were represented in the Keeneland winner’s circle April 6 by Lennilu, a daughter of Leinster who captured a 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds by a length with a late rally.

Squire, who had been working impressively at Palm Meadows Training Center, encountered some light bumping leaving the gate but recovered quickly to chase the pace set by Chance to Party into the stretch. Under strong handling from jockey Joe Bravo, Squire rallied while racing wide in the stretch to out-duel Beers on Me by a head. The high-energy, long-striding colt ran 4 ½ furlongs for Race 2 in :54.11 seconds.

“I breezed this horse a couple times for Patrick. He had high hopes,” Bravo said. “He broke good. We always knew he’s not the fastest leaving the gate, so I really couldn’t panic as long as I knew he had something to run at, and he did. When he made the lead he kind of waited on other horses.”

Squire’s debut was regarded by his connections as a prep for the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile, a five-furlong turf stakes for 2-year-olds May 10 at Gulfstream that is a designated Royal Ascot qualifier.

“We’re trying to prepare him for the stakes here May 10. I think this was a good indication from him. He’s going to go longer. We’re very happy with him,” said Biancone.

Leinster, a son of Majestic Warrior who stands at Pleasant Acres Stallions in Morriston, FL, was a multiple graded-stakes winner on turf who closed out his career with a third-place finish in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland and a victory in the 2021, Gr. III Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint.

“Turf is better. Leinster was a turf horse,” Biancone said. “But they’ll go everywhere. Good horses go everywhere.”

Trainer Mary Lightner’s Chance to Party, from the first crop of Chance It, held third.

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