Florida Track Bosses Can Breed 'Em, Too
Tuesday, August 29, 2017

    It was a pretty good weekend for the breeding operations of Florida's racetrack owners, Frank Stronach of Gulfstream Park, Stella Thayer of Tampa Bay Downs and John Brunetti of Hialeah Park (almost a racetrack). 

    The first race at Gulfstream on Saturday was won by El Ciclon, a 4-year-old by Proud Citizen bred by Stronach's Adena Springs Farm. The gelding scored by 4 1/2 lengths under Luis Castillo and paid $25, but Gulfstream's owner didn't profit (unless he wandered to the windows) because El Ciclon is a Kentucky-bred. 

    The sixth race on the program was won by Beneficiary, a 4-year-old by Wildcat Heir bred in Florida by Mrs. Thayer, who did benefit from the outcome. The purse in the off-the-turf race was $46,000, with an FOA of $6,000. She gets 13.33% of the remaining $40,000, or $5,332.

    The first of two Brunetti victories came at Monmouth Park in the sixth race on Sunday, won by Let's Parlay, a 5-year-old New Jersey-bred mare by Pomeroy. Let's Parlay won by 2 1/4 lengths under Jose Ferrer, who was winning his third of four victories on the program. Brunetti's Red Oak Farm is the owner and breeder of the mare, and the winner's share of the $50,000 purse came to $30,000. Two races later, Red Oak was also the breeder of Bobby the Boss, a 3-year-old gelding who won an allowance race by 1 1/4 lengths. (Not being familiar with the Jersey breeding program, I don't know what, if any, breeder's awards are involved).

    A TREASURE AT SARATOGA - Pleasant Acres Stallions' Treasure Beach shows no letup in his quest to win Florida's freshman sire title and remain high on the list nationally. The son of Galileo picked up his seventh winner, and perhaps his most impressive, at Saratoga on Monday. Saratoga Treasure, a first-timer owned and bred by longtime Pleasant Acres client Patricia Generazio, was soundly bumped leaving the gate in the 5 1/2-furlong turf race. Jose Lezcano deftly maneuvered the New York-bred filly through traffic, made up her eight-length deficit, and she nailed favored English Soul at the wire by a neck in a quick 1:02.66, after an eye-opening stretch run.

    The $43,800 winner's share boosted Treasure Beach's progeny earnings to $308,417, easily best among Florida's freshmen and fifth best in North America. Of the stallion's seven winners, the last five have come in their career debuts.

    NEW MILLIONAIRE AT WOODBINE? - It wouldn't be like winning a jackpot of $758 million, but those wagering on Woodbine's Super High Five jackpot tomorrow will be shooting for a carryover bonanza of $1,112,983.        

      

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