HALLANDALE BEACH - Well on his way to a Sunshine Meet title, jockey Leonel Reyes got his weekend off to a fast start Friday at Gulfstream Park, riding six winners on a nine-race program, including the winners of the first three races.

     The 40-year-old Venezuela native, who has been a mainstay in the Gulfstream jockey’s room since 2016, visited the winner’s circle aboard Pardo ($2.80) in Race 1, Camm’s Girl ($22.20) in Race 2, Amande ($4) in Race 3, With Kindness ($7.80) in Race 6, Uncle Dar ($12.60) in Race 8 and Dream Dancer ($3) in Race 9.

    “I’m so happy and grateful, because last year I had the injury (fractured ankle) but now I am 100 percent,” said Reyes, who had ridden five winners in a row on the Sept. 13 Gulfstream program. “I’m just so happy. When I looked at the program today, I thought I had a good chance to win some races but six is a lot. Thank God it worked out.”

    The record for most wins on a single Gulfstream Card stands at 7, shared by Jerry Bailey, Tyler Gaffalione, Luis Saez (twice), Paco Lopez and Irad Ortiz Jr.

    Reyes, who has ridden nearly 1100 winners in North America, started the day with an eight-win lead over Royal Palm Meet titlist Diego Herrera in the jockey standings for the Sunshine Meet that runs through Nov. 22.

    Pardo, Amande, Uncle Dar and Dream Dancer are trained by Jose D’Angelo, who is locked in a fierce battle for the Sunshine Meet training title with Saffie Joseph Jr.

Saturday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $175,000

    The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is expected to grow to an estimated $175,000 today: the multi-race wager went unsolved Friday for the 10th day in a row. The carryover is $117,085.96.
The  sequence will span Races 6-11, featuring the $60,000 Time Passage, a mile overnight handicap for 3-year-olds and up on Tapeta, in Race 8, and the $60,000 Carotari, a 5 1/2-furlong overnight handicap for 3-year-olds and up on the all-weather surface, in Race 10.

    A mandatory payout of the jackpot pool is scheduled for Sunday. Should the Rainbow 6 go unsolved today, the pool is expected to grow to an estimated $1.250 million.

NOTES

    Wild Night ($10.40) scored a highly promising debut victory for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher in Friday’s Race 7, a six-furlong maiden special weight for fillies and mares. The 3-year-old Liam’s Map filly broke alertly from her rail post position on her way to an impressive 3 1/4-length front-running victory over stablemate Just a Girl, the 3-5 favorite who was making her first start since finishing second at Saratoga in her Sept. 7 debut. Wild Night was the second win on the card for jockey Miguel Vasquez, who scored aboard Coristine ($9).

     Owner Mariam Vargas notched her first win as a trainer Friday, saddling Camm’s Girl ($22.20 for a victory in Race 2, a six-furlong maiden claiming sprint for fillies and mares. “It feels very good,” said Vargas, a 27-year-old native of Venezuela. “I was so nervous.”

Reprinted from GOLF 

By: Kevin Cunningham

    On Wednesday, longtime LIV captain and former major champion Louis Oosthuizen announced his departure from LIV Golf, dealing the latest blow to the league’s future.

   Oosthuizen, who lives in Ocala and plays out of Golden Ocala, joins Jon Rahm as the most notable LIV players to publicly confirm their exits from the league. Rahm's decision to leave is far more impactful, but Oosthuizen’s importance to the league should not be overlooked.

    He captained the Southern Guards team for LIV’s entire existence. That team was made up entirely of South African pros, and LIV’s South Africa tournament has been one of its biggest success stories. Furthermore, Oosthuizen’s success in major championships, including his 2010 Open Championship victory and a pile of high finishes, raised the stature of the league.

    Another difference between the two players’ departures? Rahm’s announcement came via lawyers in a bankruptcy court filing

     Oosthuizen took another route, penning an emotional farewell shared across his social channels.

    The post on Oosthuizen’s social channels opened by confirming that “he will not re-sign with LIV Golf for its next chapter” and instead will play the DP World Tour in 2027.

      “Five years ago, I made one of the best decisions of my life, moving away from the traditional golf world and into something very special with LIV Golf and Southern Guards GC. I’m the biggest supporter of team golf and always will be. Golf needs more of it,” Oosthuizen said.

    Oosthuizen revealed that his decision hinged on his belief that he has a few years left to contend on pro golf’s biggest stages, and his “biggest fear” was that LIV’s 2027 schedule would hinder his ability to do so.

  “I realized I have a lot more in me, and my biggest fear was that the schedule on LIV 2.0 would be tough to manage,” Oosthuizen said. “I feel I have a few more years of good, competitive golf left in me, and the only way to be really sharp and competitive is through a schedule I control.”

    He also expressed his regrets over leaving his Southern Guards team and described his move away from LIV Golf as the “hardest decision” of his entire career.

    “Southern Guards is my team. It always has been and it always will be. That’s what makes this so difficult. This is probably the hardest decision I’ve had to make in my career, but I have to do what I believe is right for my golf,” Oosthuizen explained. “It doesn’t change how I feel about the team or the guys.”

    He continued: “Bringing LIV Golf to South Africa was one of the best things I’ve done in my career. It was for the people of South Africa, and I think it was a great success. That’s the best thing that came out of this year. I’ll always be grateful to PIF and LIV for what they did for me. I made new friends and got even closer to my current friends and family.”

    “I’ve had some success at majors, but you work and play to have a sniff of that again. I’m at a different stage of my golfing life, but it’s pretty sweet when you still get called the Open Champion,” Oosthuizen said. “The Open is at a course I love and where I’ve won. The goal is to get my game as sharp as possible, to have myself ready, then see how it goes.”

    In addition to his 2010 Open win at St. Andrews, Oosthuizen has collected five runner-up finishes in majors, most recently at the 2021 PGA Championship and 2021 U.S. Open. He lost the 2012 Masters to Bubba Watson in a playoff, and Zach Johnson topped him in a three-man playoff at the 2015 Open at St. Andrews.

    As a result of his 2010 win, Oosthuizen is qualified for every Open through the age of 60, so he’ll be there when it returns to St. Andrews’ Old Course in July of next year. He has significant work to do to qualify for the other 2027 majors.

    Once ranked as high as 4th in the Official World Golf Ranking, Oosthuizen has seen his ranking plummet to 539th since joining LIV.

    Oosthuizen is the second LIV captain to exit the league in recent weeks, following Rahm. Another captain could also be on his way out. Sergio Garcia’s LIV contract was terminated at his lawyers’ request in early October.

    HALLANDALE BEACH - Morplay Racing, Sonata Stable, Denali Stud, Marquee Bloodstock and KAS Ultimate Racing’s So Icy turned in a thoroughly professional debut performance at Gulfstream Park, looking well worth her $700,000 purchase price.

    The 2-year-old daughter of  Yaupon broke on top in Race 8, a six-furlong maiden special weight for juvenile fillies, before settling into a stalking position behind pacesetter Practical Bling on the backstretch and into the far turn during a :22.09-second first quarter of a mile over a muddy track.

    So Icy advanced steadily on the turn into the homestretch under jockey Leonel Reyes, taking over the lead at the top of the stretch following a :45.83-second half-mile. The Kentucky-bred filly, who was purchased at the OBS March 2-year-olds-in-training sale, drew off to a clear lead in the stretch with only mild urging to prevail over runner-up Street Queen by a comfortable length.

    By Yaupon out of the unraced Candy Ride mare Tempered, So Icy prepped for her debut with seven works since early August at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County.

    “She’s a nice filly. Very smart,” said trainer Jose D’Angelo, noting that So Icy acted up somewhat when she took to the track for the first time and was briefly reluctant to enter the starting gate. “Everything was new to her. After she loaded, she broke like she broke at Palm Meadows.”

    So Icy ran six furlongs in 1:11.44 over a track turned muddy by heavy showers. D’Angelo has no immediate goals for the promising filly. “She’ll tell us when she’s ready, and we’ll go from there,” D’Angelo said.

    HALLANDALE BEACH - The 20-cent Rainbow 6 was solved by one lucky bettor for a $90,495.60 jackpot payoff Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Geaux Amy ($6.20), one of four horses live to take down the jackpot entering the Race 10 finale, rallied up the rail to edge 14-1 longshot Junegenai and compete the winning 8-2-7-9-5-2 combination.

    Other winners in the sequence were Lady of City ($78.80) in Race 5; Lindsay Smiles ($14) in Race 6; Stick Talk ($4.60) in Race 7, the $75,000 Palm Bay overnight handicap; Neat ($7.40) in Race 8, the $65,000 Miami Mile overnight handicap; and Degree of Risk ($8.40) in Race 9.

    There will be a Players Pick 8 carryover today of $8,945.47.

    The Rainbow 6 begins anew today, spanning Races 4-9, starting with a claiming event for 3-year-olds and up sprinting 5 ½ furlongs on the main track. The 4-year-old Adios Mate seeks his first win this year and third overall after finishing second four times in six prior starts.

    Qatar Racing and Soldi Stable’s 4-year-old gelding Gabaldon is the 5-2 program favorite in Race 5, a starter optional claimer for 3-year-olds and up scheduled for five furlongs on the grass. Entered for a $50,000 tag, Gabaldon won the 2024 Royal Palm Juvenile at Gulfstream in debut and ran second in that summer’s Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot second time out.

    Since then, Gabaldon has won one of seven starts, an optional claimer on Gulfstream’s all-weather Tapeta course Dec. 11. In his two races this year, he was fifth in a similar spot on the grass at Tampa Bay Downs in January and last out was second by a half-length in an optional claimer Aug. 16 on the Del Mar turf. Among his rivals are Jose D’Angelo-trained stablemate Fulanito and stakes winners Xy Speed and Eamonn.

    The $1 Sunset Six begins with Gulfstream’s Race 8 (4:13 p.m. post) and continues with Race 2 at Santa Anita and Race 9 at Gulfstream before wrapping up with Santa Anita’s Race 4, the $100,000 Zuma Beach (G3) for 2-year-olds, and Race 6, the $100,000 Surfer Girl (G3) for 2-year-old fillies, both on turf.

    Notes: Jockey Edwin Gonzalez swept the day’s stakes on Stick Talk ($4.60) in the $75,000 Palm Bay overnight handicap and Neat ($7.40) in the $65,000 Miami Mile overnight handicap, and completed his hat trick on Geaux Amy ($6.20) in Race 10 … Lindsay Smiles and Geaux Amy are each trained by Joe Orseno … Jockey Miguel Vasquez doubled with Accelerate Me ($20.60) in Race 3 and Lindsay Smiles ($14) in Race 6 … Both Stick Talk and Noble Sky ($6) in Race 4 are trained by Carlos David.

    HALLANDALE BEACH - One-time Triple Crown hopeful John Hancock, on the comeback trail after going nearly 14 months between races, will make his third start off the layoff and first for new connections in Saturday’s $65,000 Duke of Mischief overnight handicap at Gulfstream Park.

    The Duke of Mischief for 3-year-olds and up going a one-turn mile on the main track precedes the $100,000 Hollywood Beach, a five-furlong dash for 2-year-olds scheduled over the turf course, on a 10-race program that begins at 12:20 p.m.

    By 2014 Florida Derby (G1) winner Constitution, John Hancock was bred and at the time co-owned by WinStar Farm and trained by Brad Cox when he debuted as a 3-year-old with back-to-back wins four weeks apart at Tampa Bay Downs, each as the favorite in front-running fashion, the latter in the 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis last February. The runner-up that day, Owen Almighty, subsequently won the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) and went on to run fifth in the Kentucky Derby (G1).
 

    John Hancock was again favored and led the way before fading to be fourth in the 2025 Louisiana Derby (G2), after which he was sidelined by a condylar fracture. He didn’t race again for 407 days, returning to finish sixth after setting the pace in a one-mile optional claimer May 2 at Churchill Downs.

    The setup and result were repeated in John Hancock’s most recent start June 10 at Churchill. He was entered in Fasig-Tipton’s horses of racing age sale July 26, purchased for $75,000 by Paula Rose Szalay’s Golden Kernel Racing Stable and sent to trainer Bobby Dibona at Gulfstream.

    “I thought I would pay more. I was willing to pay [$100,000] and I got him for [$75,000]. I think I stole him for that money,” Dibona said. “I gelded him and I did a myectomy with him. I didn’t rush anything. He’s amazing. I’m very excited to run him.

   “He had won the Sam Davis, so he was on the way to be something pretty good,” he added. “He suffered a condylar fracture in his hind leg, so they put a screw in, which [horses] do so well from, especially in behind. I don’t worry at all.”

    John Hancock has breezed six times for Dibona at Gulfstream, including a bullet half mile in :46.62 seconds Sept. 7. Most recently, he went three furlongs from the gate in :35.78 Sept. 19.

    “I’ve had him a few months. You can see he was cut out to be a good horse,” Dibona said. “Since he’s been with me, he’s just gone up, up, up, up. Every time I work him, he impresses me more. He went the other day from the gate in 35 and change and [the rider] was just sitting on him. He wasn’t riding hard or anything.”

    Miguel Vasquez is named on John Hancock from Post 6 as the 2-1 program favorite in a field of nine, carrying co-topweight of 121 pounds. Supplemented into the Duke of Mischief, he is stablemates with undefeated multiple stakes-winning 2-year-old Sum of Success. “Right now, he’s impressing me more than anyone in my barn,” Dibona. “We’ve got to get going with him, but he’s ready. He’s good to go.”

    Robert Wayne Jacobs and Dwight Puckett’s To the Eastside (Post 1, Edgar Perez, 3-1, 120) is the lone horse entered off a win, exiting a front-running one-length triumph over multiple stakes winner Classic of Course in the seven-furlong Benny the Bull Aug. 29 at Gulfstream.

    The 5-year-old son of two-time graded-stakes winner Enticed drew the rail for the third straight race, including a neck loss to Grade 3-placed 9-year-old Mish in a six-furlong starter optional claimer Aug. 3. “It seems like he’s been on the inside quite a bit,” trainer Andrea Puckett said. “He came back great and we’re excited to run him back. We weren’t thrilled with the one hole again but if he can repeat what he did the last race, we’d be happy.

     “He ran the race of his life last time,” she added. “We’ll see what happens, but we’re excited and hoping for a repeat, obviously. I think he looks pretty good in there.”

    Puckett was not surprised with the effort put forth last out by To the Eastside, whose best races have come running on or near the lead. He will face familiar foes such as stakes winner Pure Class (Post 7, Diego Herrera, 7-2, 121) and stakes-placed Icelander (Post 2, Anthony Thomas, 15-1, 118), who respectively ran third and fifth in the Benny the Bull.

    “We knew the horse was doing really well and he was training forwardly,” Puckett said. “He’s kind of a laid-back horse until he hits the racetrack. He lets you know when he’s ready and we think he improves every time he goes out there. He gains a little bit more experience and his confidence is on high right now.”

    Gerald Bennett-trained stablemates Chrome Ghost (Post 3, Samy Camacho, 6-1, 120) and El Principito (Post 4, Jonathan Ocasio, 20-1, 117); Awesome Train (Post 5, Marcos Meneses, 15-1, 117), Fiveeyesonskystars (Post 8, Leonel Reyes, 15-1, 118) and Lightning Tones (Post 9, Jose Morelos, 8-1, 121), winless in three starts since defending his title in the Jan. 10 Sunshine Classic, complete the field.

    Duke of Mischief was bred in Florida by Marilyn McMaster, who co-owned the horse with Alex and JoAnn Lieblong and trainer David Fawkes. The son of Graeme Hall ran first or second 12 times in 30 starts with seven wins and $1.9 million in purse earnings. Five of his wins came in stakes – the 2009 Iowa Derby, 2010 Fort Lauderdale (G3), Oaklawn Handicap (G2) and Iselin (G3) and 2011 Charles Town Classic (G3).

    HALLANDALE BEACH - Sunshine Meet live action resumes at Gulfstream Park today with the Hallandale Beach track partnering with Woodbine for the $1 Gulfstream Summer Sweep Pick 5, the retail-only multi-race wager with a 15-percent takeout.

    The player-friendly exotic will be kicked off by Gulfstream’s Race 6 (2:52 p.m.), followed by Woodbine’s Race 5 and Race 6. The sequence will be closed out by Gulfstream’s Race 8 and Race 9 (4:28 p.m.).

    Jockey Diego Herrera and trainer David Fawkes, who teamed for a double on Sunday’s card, will join forces with Greenfield Cougar for Gulfstream’s Race 6, a five-furlong optional claiming starter allowance for fillies and mares on turf. Greenfield Cougar, who is entered for a $50,000 claiming tag, has been competitive against better in recent starts. Should the race be moved to the Tapeta course, the daughter of Breaking Lucky may be an even more imposing runner, having won three of eight races on the all-weather surface. Juan Rizo-trained Su Win, a daughter of Win Win Win who won at five furlongs on turf two starts back, will look to rebound from an off-the-board finish after being involved in a speed duel into the stretch.

     An evenly-matched field of seven has been assembled for Woodbine’s Race 5, a five-furlong $25,000 claiming dash for 3-year-olds and up on turf. Fraser Aebly, who leads all jockeys with more than $4 million in purses-won this year at Woodbine, will ride Phillip Hall-trained Roi Soleil for the first time Friday. The 5-year-old son of More Than Ready drops from optional claiming allowance company, as does William Tharrenos-trained Lazio with Emma-Jayne Wilson up.

     Woodbine’s Race 6, a 1 1/8-mile optional claiming allowance on Tapeta for 3-year-olds and up, may prove to be a popular ‘spread’ leg. Mohayman Diamond, the 2-1 morning-line favorite who will seek his first win in 2026 in his sixth start, heads another evenly matched field of seven.

     Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Love Like Lucy is likely to be a popular ‘single’ candidate in Gulfstream’s Race 8, a six-furlong allowance for Florida-bred fillies and mares. The 3-year-old daughter of Win Win Win, who finished first but was placed second in an open stakes before winning a turf-sprint allowance, returns from a two-month layoff for a trainer with positive stats in that category. Herbert Miller-trained Dakota’s Lil Auror looks to improve on a pair of second-place finishes under Friday’s conditions.

    Jockey Leonel Reyes, who rode five winners in a row on Sunday’s program, will ride Bobby Dibona-trained No More War for the first time in Gulfstream’s Race 9, a mile $20,000 claimer for 3-year-olds and up on turf. No More War’s three-race winning streak was snapped last time out by a third-place finish in an optional claiming allowance in which he was steadied in traffic on the first turn. Joseph-trained Mister Abarrio drops back into claiming company for his return to Gulfstream following a pair of steady optional claiming allowance efforts at Colonial Downs.

    Gulfstream’s Races 6, 8 and 9 will also be included in the six-race sequence for the 20-cent Rainbow 6, which starts anew Friday following Sunday’s mandatory payout. The sequence for the popular multi-race wager will span Races 4-9.

    The next mandatory payout is scheduled for Sunday.

    HALLANDALE BEACH - Jockey Diego Herrera closed out his first full meet outside Southern California Monday at Gulfstream Park while celebrating his first riding title with an 88-82 edge over Samy Camacho during the Royal Palm Meet.

    The up-and-coming 22-year-old jockey made the career decision to move his tack following his Jan. 24 visit to Gulfstream to ride British Isles in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational. Although the best British Isles could do was a fifth-place finish, Herrera came away from the experience with such a positive impression that he took agent Kevin Meyocks up on his offer to handle his book at Gulfstream – but not before notching his first Gr. 1 stakes win by guiding British Isles to victory in the Santa Anita Handicap on March 7.

    “I’m very blessed and fortunate to be in this position," Herrera said. "My agent has done a tremendous job. He gave me a call toward the end of March and I took a leap of faith and trusted in him,” Herrera went on after guiding Bail Us Out ($4.20) to victory in Monday’s Race 5 to collect his 100th overall win of the year. “I can’t thank the owners, trainers, grooms, and all the people that work hard every day in the morning enough. I’m so pleased to be in this position.”

    Herrera, who made it to Gulfstream on March 19 for the tail end of the 2025-2026 Championship Meet, quickly established himself as a force during the Royal Palm Meet that got underway on April 2. Herrera and Camacho were locked in a tight battle for the top spot in the jockey standings right up until the final weekend.

    “I’m very happy with my decision, whether I won the meet or not,’’ Herrera said.

    Herrera, who enjoyed 30 multi-win days and 16 consecutive racing days with at least one win during the meet, is looking forward to continuing his success during the Sunshine Meet that gets underway Friday and, farther down the road, the 2026-2027 Championship Meet that opens Thanksgiving Day.

    “I’m looking forward to meeting new people and experiencing a new jockey colony and having new opportunities,” he said.

    The son of a Quarter Horse owner, the Inglewood, Calif. native began riding Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses in Southern California at the age of 15 ½ while taking online classes to earn his high school diploma at Lennox Academy.

    Wesley Ward-trained Bacio (Maclean’s Music – Katie’s Kiss, by Kantharos) shipped to England and took down several of Europe's top turf sprinters in the Gr. I Nunthorpe Stakes at York Racecourse, earning a fees-paid berth into the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland in October and leading the slate of stakes-winning OBS graduates for the week.

    Bacio won two of three starts during his juvenile campaign in 2025 and has gone a perfect 3-for-3 so far this season, twice shipping to England to defeat international competitors. The son of Maclean's Music, who was bred in Kentucky by Torie Gladwell, Cincinnati Equine, Borrowdale, Knollwood Farm, and partners, took a handicap race during the Royal Ascot meeting in June and stepped up with aplomb against older competitors while making his group/graded debut in the Nunthorpe. 

    Owned by My Racehorse/Gladwell/Dailey/Dejablu, Bacio was offered at the 2025 OBS March Sale by the Top Line Sales consignment but failed to meet his reserve after breezing in :9 4/5.

    At Del Mar, Proletariat (Raging Bull (FR)—Kodiak West (IRE), by Kodiac (GB)) made every pole a winner en route to a 1 ¼-length victory over fellow OBS graduate Bust Out in the Gr. II Del Mar Derby.

    Trained by Jeff Mullins for owners Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures, Proletariat was purchased at the 2025 OBS March Sale by his owners for $200,000 from the GOP Racing Stable consignment after breezing in :10 flat.

    At Woodbine, St. Elias Stable, BAG Racing Stables, Turf Express, Inc and Watkins Diamond Stables’ Reagan’s Flame (Flameaway – Mizzen Donald, by Mizzen Mast) made light work of a short field to take the $175,000, Gr. III Seaway Stakes at the Toronto oval. 

    Reagan’s Flame also enjoyed Woodbine success in early May, winning the Gr. III Whimsical for new trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. She was purchased by dual classic-winning trainer Cherie DeVaux for $185,000 at the 2023 OBS April Sale from the consignment of Eddie Woods after breezing in :10 1/5.

    At Saratoga Race Course, KatieRich Stables’ Gr. 1-winner Iron Orchard (Authentic- Onebrethatatime, by Brethren) flexed her class with a return to winning form in the $200,000 Fleet Indian, a nine-furlong test for sophomore New York-bred fillies. 

    Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the daughter of Authentic previously captured the Gr. 1 Frizette last October while under the care of trainer Danny Gargan. Iron Orchard was purchased by Bill Childs and Mark Stanton for $500,000 from the Grassroots Training and Sales consignment at the 2025 OBS April Sale where she breezed in :9 4/5.

    At Parx Racin, Micanopy (Uncle Chuck—Golden Horseshoe, by Belong to Me) scored the first stakes victory of his career in the $200,000 Smarty Jones Stakes, winning by 1 1/2 lengths. The 3-year-old gelding, trained by Michael Simone for owner Jane Perry, was offered at the 2025 OBS April Sale by the Journeyman Bloodstock Services consignment where he failed to meet his reserve after breezing in :21 4/5.

     Also at Parx, Fire Pit (Cairo Prince—True Martha, by Creative Cause) annexed the $75,000 State Representative's Sprint Stakes by three-quarters of a length. The victory gave the 4-year-old colt the first stakes victory of his career. Trained by Guadalupe Preciado for owner Travin Stables, Fire Pit was purchased by his owner for $35,000 from the Randy Miles consignment at the 2024 OBS April Sale after breezing in :10 2/5.

    HALLANDALE BEACH - In a near carbon copy of her previous start, Epic Horses, BAG Racing Stables and The White House Stables’ Kerry’s Kiss jumped out to an early lead and never looked back keeping her Gr. II-winning stablemate at bay to win Saturday’s $100,000 Sheer Drama Handicap at Gulfstream Park.

    The Sheer Drama for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting seven furlongs on the main track serves as the local prep for next month’s $250,000, Gr. III Princess Rooney, a ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint on Oct. 31 at Keeneland.

    Ridden by jockey Edwin Gonzalez, who was also aboard for her 2 ¾-length triumph in the 6 ½-furlong Musical Romance on June 27, Kerry’s Kiss ($4.80) covered a fast main track in 1:23.37 for her third consecutive win and second straight over Indy Bay. Both wins since she relocated from the Midwest to South Florida after being purchased privately.

    “I didn’t have too much instruction. They let me ride her very comfortably,” Gonzalez said. “I know she’s really fast in front. She’s a quick filly, but I didn’t want to give her too much intention. I let her go on herself and she did everything right.”

    Gonzalez and Kerry’s Kiss broke alertly and immediately asserted herself up front, leading through a comfortable quarter-mile in :22.80 seconds and even-money favorite Indy Bay and Domino Vitali dueled behind her for second. The half went in :45.17 with Kerry’s Kiss still very much in control, and Indy Bay separating from a retreating Domino Vitali.

    Kerry’s Kiss rounded the far turn and straightened for home in command with only Indy Bay within reach, and she rolled home a determined 1 ½-length winner under a steady drive from Gonzalez. Just a Philly got up for third, just as she did in the Musical Romance, followed by Permian Basin and Domino Vitali. Poiema, Chilean Group 1 winner Bombacha Veloz and Girvin Star were scratched.

    “It was impressive because the last time she broke really sharp and she kept going, and she did the same thing today. She was going fast but she was doing it within herself,” Gonzalez said. “She had something left. I wanted to give her a little breather turning for home because I know the other filly and I didn’t want them to get the jump on her, and she kept going.”

    Harold Queen’s Florida homebred, Sheer Drama, trained by David Fawkes, finished third or better in 17 of 24 career starts with seven wins and nearly $1.7 million in purse earnings. She won stakes in Maryland, Delaware, Florida, New York and Kentucky including the 2015 Gr. I Delaware Handicap and Gr. I Personal Ensign and 2016 Gr. I Madison. The half-sister to Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Big Drama was Florida’s champion older female and Horse of the Year in 2015.

    HALLANDALE BEACH - The Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association (FHBPA) has awarded $79,000 in college scholarships to the families of 23 qualified, licensed backstretch employees, including grooms, hotwalkers, exercise riders and trainers.

    The Kent Stirling Memorial Scholarship Program will be used to further the education of backstretch employees and dependents attending an accredited college or university undergraduate program and graduate level program.

    Since 2000 when the scholarship was conceived, the FHBPA has awarded more than $330,000 in scholarships. Before scholarships are awarded, the candidates provide financial statements and school records to the FHBPA. 

    Trainer Ron Spatz, co-chairman of the scholarship program along with Kathy Davies said: “The FHBPA is very proud of this year’s recipients. Since 2000, when this program was started by our late executive director and horseman Kent Stirling, we’ve seen the impact these scholarships have made for the recipients and their families, who work so diligently and affectionately each day with the horses.”

    The scholarship recipients will be recognized today with brunch in Ten Palms and a winner’s circle presentation. They will be joined by Spatz, Davies and FHBPA assistants Debra Iglesias and Debbie LaRue.

    The recipients attending Broward College are: Valeria Aboughaida, Edgar Agustin, Julio Fernandez, Mia Fernandez, Angie Fuenmayor, Jorge Gallegos, Yiovani Gallegos, Keisha Huerta, Arnold O’Farrill, Erick O’Farrill, Daniela Sanchez.

            Attending Florida International University: Valerie Collazo, Gabrielle Kopach, Katie Ramos.

            Attending University of Florida: Yazmin Agustin, Liseli Coy, Ana Ruiz.

            Attending Nova Southeastern University: Adriana Monterrey.

            Attending University of Central Florida: Nathan Truong.

            Attending Miami Dade College: Yubelki Morales.

            Attending Eastern Michigan University: Ashley Grullon.

            Attending Santa Fe College: Ronald Coy.

           Attending Palm Beach State College: Antonella Pizarro.

    HALLANDALE BEACH - Led by such turf standouts as Memories of Silver, Wonder Again, Winter Memories and champion Soaring Softly, trainer Jimmy Toner has enjoyed many special winner’s circle moments over the past seven decades, but his latest might just top them all.

    Joseph Allen’s 7-year-old Siege of Boston, the star of Toner’s modest six-horse stable, split horses in mid-stretch and surged past multiple stakes winner Tank approaching the wire to register a half-length victory in Sunday’s $70,000 Empire Builder overnight handicap at Gulfstream Park, giving the 86-year-old trainer his career 900th win.

    Ridden for the first time by Samy Camacho, Siege of Boston ($7.40) bested six rivals for his sixth career win and first in a stakes, including favored dual Grade 3 winner Making the Cut and multiple stakes winner Prevent in the Empire Builder for 3-year-olds and up going a one-turn mile on the grass. The winning time was 1:33.37 over a firm turf course.

    It was the third starter for Toner since he earned win No. 899 July 5 at Gulfstream with Team of Rivals. He has first-time starter Citizen of London, a 3-year-old Allen homebred, entered in Monday’s finale.  “I feel pretty good right now,” Toner said, flanked by his son, James, and grandsons Stephen, 9, and Charles, 7. “When he got to the wire it was pretty exciting. I’m a little emotional about it now, especially when you have family here with you. It’s pretty special.”

    The Empire Builder was Siege of Boston’s 30th lifetime start, the last 28 coming since joining Toner in the summer of 2022. The bay son of War Front had three seconds and four thirds in 15 prior stakes attempts with three Gr. III placings, including runner-up by a half-length in Gulfstream’s 2024 Canadian Turf. Toner’s last stakes win came in the 2019 Caress at Saratoga with Monimou. 

    “I think it’s pretty neat because this is one of the first horses I got from Joe Allen four years ago. He’s hung in there pretty good since,” Toner said. “It was nice to get it with him, too.”

    Tank set the pace along the rail pressed by Private Thoughts through a quarter mile in 23.57 seconds with 16-1 longshot Prevent and Indecisiveness dueling for third and Siege of Boston settled in behind. The half went in 47 seconds with Camacho and Siege of Boston wedging up between Prevent and Indecisiveness trailing the top two.

    Siege of Boston rounded the far turn with plenty of energy and Camacho looking for room, which came as the field straightened out for home.

    “The horse was doing good,” Toner said. “I thought a mile might be a little short, but [Camacho] rode a beautiful race on him. I told him to stay inside and save ground and when you get to the backside get outside, because he runs his best races outside. He couldn’t have done it any better. Siege of Boston hit a seam between Private Thoughts and Indecisiveness and set his sights on Tank, coming with a steady run to reel in the pacesetter in his first start since a May 30 win at Laurel Park.”

    Tank stayed up for second, 1 ½ lengths ahead of late-running I Know I Know, followed by Missed the Cut, Indecisiveness, Prevent and Private Thoughts.

            “It was pretty exciting,” Toner said. “We got the best turned out [award before the race] and usually what happens when we get the best turned out is, we lose. When they gave it to us, I was like, ‘Oh, no.’ But it worked out good.”



            Toner began working on the backstretch as a teenage hotwalker in the 1950s, running his first horses in 1960. Since that time he has won 54 graded-stakes, 15 of them Grade 1, and banked more than $36.5 million in purse earnings. Among those graded wins are Soaring Softly in the 1999 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), held at Gulfstream, and 2008 Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2) with Sir Whimsey.



Toner is best known for his success with turf fillies, among them Grade 1 millionaires Soaring Softly, the champion grass female of 1999; Memories of Silver, Wonder Again and Memories of Silver’s daughter, Winter Memories, as well as Grade 1 winner Time and Motion, an earner of nearly $968,

    West Point Thoroughbreds’ Counting Stars (Honor A.P.- Paynterbynumbers, by Paynter) put herself squarely atop the 3-year-old filly division when she soundly defeating Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Always a Runner for the second time this year in the Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga Race Course, leading the slate of stakes-winning OBS graduates.

    Trained by dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse, Counting Stars was an authoritative winner of the Acorn last out over course and distance with a 3 3/4-length score over Always a Runner, and was just as dominant on Saturday as she drove home a 4 1/4-length winner. Counting Stars was third in the Kentucky Oaks ahead of their first rematch in the Acorn. 

    “She's a special horse. She is,” Casse said. “It was great for racing to see the two of them go at it. We said all along this week that this was round three, the rubber match. So, that's what happened. Luckily, we ended up on the right side of it.”

    Counting Stars was purchased by her owners at the 2025 OBS April Sale for $150,000 from the Wildheart Thoroughbreds consignment after breezing in :10 flat.

    The Saratoga card also saw Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Built (Hard Spun – Sea Garden, by Curlin) earn his first graded win with a victory in the Grade 2, $400,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt. Trained by Wayne Catalano, the 4-year-old son of Hard Spun powered away to a 2 1/2-length score. He was purchased by his owner for $260,000 out of the Harris Training Center consignment at the 2024 OBS April Sale after breezing in :9 4/5.

    At Monmouth Park, Averill Racing, Mathis Stable and Tristan de Meric’s My Miss Mo (Uncle Mo – In a Dream, by Quality Road) followed up her May 15 score in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan with a gate-to-wire victory in the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks, winning comfortably by 1 1/2 lengths.

    Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., My Miss Mo was purchased by Averill Racing and Mathis Stable for $320,000 from the de Meric Sales consignment at the 2025 OBS March Sale after breezing in :10 1/5.

    At Saratoga, Klaravich Stables’ Fully Subscribed (Tiz the Law-Sweetbaby, by Candy Ride (ARG)) overtook dual Grade 1-winner and fellow OBS graduate Scottish Lassie in the final jumps to capture the Grade 2, $250,000 Shuvee Stakes.

    Trained by Chad Brown, the daughter of Tiz the Law earned her third graded win following past successes in the Grade 2 Mother Goose and Grade 3 Comely last winter at Aqueduct Racetrack. Fully Subscribed was purchased at the 2024 OBS April Sale by her owner for $300,000 from the Caliente Thoroughbreds consignment after breezing in :10 flat.

    At Del Mar, BAG Racing Stables and WSS Racing’s Baltic Fire (Flameaway-Fisc, by Lemon Drop Kid) held on gamely late to capture the $100,000 Osunitas Stakes by a neck. The victory in the 1-mile turf test was the first black-type stakes win for the 5-year-old mare, who is trained by Jeff Mullins.

    Baltic Fire was purchased by Paul Galli at the 2023 OBS April Sale for $70,000 from the Mason Springs Partnership consignment after breezing in :10 2/5.

    At Colonial Downs, the inaugural $100,000 Yorktown Stakes came down to a photo finish as Mark Grier’s Inveigled (Enticed—Kitty Quality, by Quality Road) outdueled odds-on favorite Barbadian Runner to score by a nose and earn his first stakes victory.

    Trained by Arnaud Delacour, Inveigled was purchased by Ben Gowans, agent at the 2023 OBS June Sale for $52,000 from the Hoppel's Horse & Cattle Co. consignment after breezing in :10 flat.