Thursday, October 3, 2024
HALLANDALE BEACH - Just two wins away from the 4,000-win milestone, jockey Paco Lopez has five scheduled mounts on Friday’s nine-race program at Gulfstream Park.
The 38-year-old South Florida mainstay, who rode three winners Wednesday at Parx, is slated to ride two morning-line favorites from his five mounts Friday at Gulfstream Park before moving on to Keeneland for the weekend.
Lopez, a Veracruz, Mexico native who rode his first winner at Calder Race Course in Miami Gardens, FL in 2007, has enjoyed many of his career highlights at Gulfstream Park, including his first graded-stakes victory aboard Smooth Air in the 2009 Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2), currently the Gulfstream Park Mile, and a Grade 1-stakes success aboard Lukes Alley in the 2016 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap, currently contested as the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1). He won his first Grade 1 race aboard Itsmyluckyday in the 2014 Woodward after guiding the Eddie Plesa Jr. trainee to victory in the Gulfstream Park Derby the year prior.
Lopez, who won the 2008 Eclipse Award as North America’s champion apprentice while riding in South Florida, will get his day started Friday in Race 2 aboard Cajun Fool, the 6-5 morning-line favorite in a field of seven. The Luis Ramirez-trained son of Cajun Breeze will make his second start at the $8000 claiming level for non-winners of two lifetime while cutting back from seven to six-furlongs.
Lopez will come right back in Race 3, a five-furlong maiden special weight event for Florida-bred 3-year-olds on Tapeta, aboard Asher’s Edge, the 6-5 morning-line favorite in a field of seven. The David Fawkes-trained Asher’s Edge is coming off back-to-back photo-finish runner-up finishes.
Lopez is named aboard Roscoe Village, rated second at 3-1 on the morning-line in a field of eight, in Race 5, a 1 1/16-mile $30,000 filly & mare claimer on turf. Fernando Abreu-trained Roscoe Village, who drops from optional claiming allowance company, will challenge Jose D’Angelo-trained Catholika, the 2-1 morning-line favorite who is dropping from an even effort in the Miss Gracie Stakes.
The fan-favorite rider will try to light up the toteboard following Race 6, a six-furlong maiden special weight sprint for 3-year-olds and up, aboard Abreu-trained Nando, rated 12-1 in a field of eight. Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained God’s Timing, a debuting 3-year-old son of Catalina Cruiser, is rated as the 5-2 morning-line favorite.
Lopez will finish his one-day stopover at Gulfstream aboard Forwardly in Race 8, a mile run for 3-year-olds and up non-winners of three racing for an $8000 claiming price. Fawkes-trained Forwardly is rated second at 2-1 on the morning line coming off a second-place finish behind Starship Mocha, Friday’s even-money favorite who registered a front-running victory in their most recent encounter. Lopez was aboard Forwardly during his last visit to Gulfstream.
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