HALLANDALE BEACH - The 2023 juvenile racing season at Gulfstream Park will kick off next Thursday with a promising field of nine fillies going 4 ½ furlongs.

    Trainer Juan Alvarado is represented by two Arindel homebreds, Cherokee and Mist, in the field for Race 1. Arindel homebreds have been highly successful in early season races in recent years before going on to win their shares of Florida Sire Stakes events.

    While Arindel’s success with 2-year-olds has come with sons and daughters of Brethren, Cherokee is by Union Jackson but out of a daughter of Brethren. Union Jackson, a multiple stakes-winning son of Curlin and half-brother to millionaire Pauline’s Pearl, stood in New York for four seasons before being recently pensioned.

    Cherokee is out of Florence, a full sister to graded stakes-winner Cookie Dough, the winner of two legs of the 2018 Florida Sire Stakes series and more than $600,000 in earnings.  Cookie Dough, who captured the 2020 Gr. III Royal Delta at Gulfstream, also placed in five other graded stakes.

    Cherokee, who prepped for her debut with a three-furlong ‘bullet’ breeze, is not Florida Sire Stakes eligible. Mist, a daughter of Brethren, is FSS eligible.

    Trainer Jose D’Angelo is slated to saddle Sun Azteca, a daughter of Sharp Azteca, for the 2-year-old season opener. The Kentucky-bred $110,000 purchase at the 2021 Keeneland September sale is out of a graded stakes-winning City Zip mare, Northern Netti.

    Briseida, a daughter of Runhappy who was purchased for $80,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September sale, is scheduled to make her debut for trainer Fausto Gutierrez and St. George Stable.

    Also entered in the first 2-year-old event: Jena Antonucci-trained Avellino (Adios Charlie), Laura Cazares-trained Bucchera (Bucchero), Angel Rodriguez-trained Florindia (Gone Astray), and Javier Gonzalez-trained She Has Class (Khozan).

Notes: The 20-cent Rainbow 6 gross jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $50,0000 for today’s 11-race program. The sequence for the popular multi-race wager, which was solved on Thursday’s opening day of the Royal Palm Meet for a $42.893 jackpot payoff, will span Races 6-11.

    Edgard Zayas rode three winners on Friday’s program, scoring aboard Reservenotattained ($4) in Race 3, Cooler King ($9) in Race 4 and Alley Oop Johnny ($3.20) in Race 6… Chantal Sutherland doubled on Disco Queen ($12.80) in Race 2 and Xy Speed ($9.20) in Race 8. comments powered by Disqus