Gulfstream's Spring and Summer Stakes Schedule Offers $3,775,000

Monday, March 9, 2020

Bernies Blog

HALLANDALE BEACH - Gulfstream Park’s spring and summer stakes schedule will offer horsemen $3.775 million in purses, featuring the $1.4 million Florida Sire Stakes and $300,000, Gr. II Princess Rooney, which will be moved from June to September along with the $200,000, Gr. III Smile Sprint.

The spring racing season begins Thursday, April 2. The stakes schedule kicks off on Kentucky Derby Day, Saturday, May 2, with the $100,000 Big Drama for Florida-breds and the Honey Ryder and English Channel, both contested on the turf.

The biggest change to the stakes schedule will be moving the Princess Rooney and Smile Sprint to Sept. 5. The distance of the Princess Rooney has been cut back from seven furlongs to six furlongs and the purse increased by $50,000. The race day will also include the $75,000 Miss Gracie and $75,000 Bear’s Den.

“Both the Princess Rooney and Smile were moved from the middle of the summer to September in hopes of more participation moving closer to the fall,” said Mike Lakow, Gulfstream’s Vice President of Racing. “We also noticed there was a void in filly and mare Gr. 1 and 2 races under seven furlongs. Therefore we changed the distance of the Princess Rooney to six furlongs and brought the purse to $300,000.”

This will be the 39th anniversary of the $1.4 million Florida Sire Stakes, for 2-year-olds sired by accredited Florida stallions. The rich series, which has produced Awesome Feather, Three Ring, Big Drama, Smile and Jackson Bend, kicks off Aug. 1 with the $100,000 Dr. Fager and $100,000 Desert Vixen divisions. It continues Aug. 29 with the $200,000 Affirmed and $200,000 Susan’s Girl and culminates Sept. 26 with the $400,000 In Reality and $400,000 My Dear Girl.

Gulfstream’s live card on Preakness Day, May 16, will include the $100,000 Musical Romance for Florida-breds and the $75,000 Roar and $75,000 Powder Break. Belmont Stakes Day, June 6, will feature the $100,000 Soldier’s Dancer and $100,000 Ginger Punch, both for Florida-breds.

Gulfstream will also have stakes races on three Saturdays during the Saratoga meeting as well as three stakes on the July 4 weekend. “We set the stakes schedule to accompany important racing days and holidays,” Lakow said.