Royal Palm Meet Kicks off at Gulfstream

Thursday, April 3, 2025

Bernies Blog

HALLANDALE BEACH - The Royal Palm Meet at Gulfstream Park began today highlighted by the third running of the Royal Palm Juvenile and Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies, races that will once again offer automatic berths to one of six juvenile races at the upcoming Royal Ascot meet in England along with a $25,000 travel stipend.

The meeting, which runs through August 31, will include $1.785 million in stakes purses and $910,000 in overnight handicaps. The Royal Palm Meet will run Thursday through Sunday through June 22 before going Friday through Sunday starting June 27. First race post is 12:50 p.m.

The $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile and $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies, both run at five furlongs on the turf May 10, have been productive preps for the Royal Ascot races, with 2023 Juvenile Fillies victor Crimson Advocate winning the Gr. II Queen Mary and 2024 Juvenile winner Gabaldon finishing second in last year’s Windsor Castle.

Today's eight-race, opening day program will featured two one- mile turf events and a maiden special weight for 3-year-old fillies at 5 ½ furlongs on Tapeta.

Stakes action begins Saturday with the $70,000 Go Cats Go for 3-year-olds and up at five furlongs on the turf. The field of 10 will include Xy Speed, a winner of 13 of 26 career starts at the distance as well as Silks Run winner Eamonn and runner-up Reef Runner.

The Stanley Cup, won by the Florida Panthers last year, will be at Gulfstream Saturday afternoon for fans to take pictures with and enjoy. The Cup will be at Ten Palms beginning at approximately noon for 2 ½ hours.

Gulfstream was forced to cancel the closing day of its Championship Meet, Sunday, March 30, due to heavy afternoon rains, cancelling the mandatory payout of the 20-cent Rainbow 6. The wager, with a current carryover of $288,488, will now have a mandatory payout on Sunday, April 13.

On Saturday, May 3, Gulfstream will host a Kentucky Derby Buffet and Watch Party in Ten Palms beginning at 11:30 a.m. Along with live racing at Gulfstream, fans will be able to watch and wager on the Kentucky Derby while enjoying mint juleps and other Derby favorites.