HALLANDALE BEACH - After a respectable sixth in the April 2 Curlin Florida Derby at 1 1/8-miles, Steal Sunshine successfully cut back to seven furlongs today at Gulfstream Park, rallying from last to score an upset victory in the $75,000 Carry Back, reminiscent of the racing style of the Hall of Fame Florida-bred who the race is named after.

    Owned by Carrie Brogden and Little Red Feather Racing, Steal Sunshine followed up a strong late-closing starter allowance victory at a mile last time out with an even more impressive eye-catching stretch surge in the seven-furlong stakes for 3-year-olds.

    The Bobby DiBona-trained son of Constitution took complete advantage of a blistering early pace set by King Cab, who set fractions of :21.79 and :43.84 seconds for the first half-mile with Octane, and Cattin and Reddington in hot pursuit. Last by several lengths along the backstretch and far turn under a patient Lionel Reyes, Steal Sunshine quickly caught up to the field entering the turn with a wide sweep into the stretch, where his fresh legs carried him past his tiring rivals to a 2 ¼-length victory.

    “I took a shot running him in the Florida Derby," DiBona said. "He ran very respectable and put on a good show against some of the better horses. We’ve been thinking in the barn, ‘Long, long, he’ll run all day.’ I know that but he’s been compromised by slow fractions at times. Today, I said, ‘They’re going to be smoking. Maybe this is what he’s been waiting for – something to run at.’ He showed it today.”

    Steal Sunshine ran seven furlongs in 1:22.77 to capture his first stakes race and his third victory in eight starts. He was so far back early even his No. 2 ‘chicklet’ wasn’t visible on the TV screen.

    “I saw the fractions, but I needed to see his head stick into the screen somewhere," DiBona said. "Then, I saw him on the screen on the move and then he angled out. I looked up and saw 43-and-change, and I said, ‘Oh, yeah, he’s coming." He destroyed the field today.”

Strike Hard finished second, a half-length ahead of Clapton.

Sunday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed 

    The multi-race wager went unsolved on the first day after a lucky bettor hit the jackpot for a $118,521 payoff.

    Sunday’s Rainbow sequence will span Races 4-9, featuring a contentious 1 1/16-mile optional claiming starter allowance on Tapeta. Kathleen O’Connell’s all-weather specialist Uno Tiger will seek to regain his winning form. The 5-year-old son of Macho Uno was riding a three-race winning streak on Tapeta before stepping up to stakes company last time out and finishing a close third in the Soldier’s Dancer.

    Uno Tiger is slated to clash with Joe Orseno-trained Lamplighter Jack, who is riding a three-race winning streak of his own on Tapeta.

    LAUREL, MD – Champion Maryland jockey Sheldon Russell is nearing a return to the races more than nine months after being hurt in a pre-race spill at Laurel Park.

     “He’s doing great,” Russell’s agent Marty Leonard said. “He’s been getting back on horses for a couple weeks now and feeling good. He’s really close to returning to riding.”

     The 34-year-old Russell was originally hurt last Sept. 9 when 2-year-old Maryland-bred filly Little Bit of That got spooked and reared heading to the track before what was to be her career debut. Russell was thrown and landed on his right foot, toes-first, and was diagnosed with a Lisfranc injury, involving both the bones and ligaments in the middle part of his foot. Russell underwent successful surgery to repair the injury and, following a long recovery and rehab, began getting on horses again in April but was back on the sidelines after breaking his collarbone during morning training.

    “He was probably about a week away from returning when that happened, so it was another minor setback,” Leonard said. “It was about an eight to 10-week injury.”

    Russell is married to Brittany Russell, leading trainer this year during Laurel’s spring stand as well as the subsequent Preakness Meet at Pimlico Race Course. Ironically, it was Little Bit of That’s victory on Mother’s Day, May 8, that clinched the mom-of-two’s first meet championship.

    At the time of his injury last fall, Russell led all jockeys in Maryland in purses earned and was second in wins. He has won more than 1,500 races and $43 million in purses since 2007, overcoming several injuries during his career.

    “He’s gone through this a few times. He’s resilient and relentless, he really is,” Leonard said. “We’re just going day by day and we’re going to let him tell us when he’s ready to go. When he’s ready to go, I’m sure we’ll have a horse to get on.”

Tiz No Clown All Business in Maiden Triumph

    Experience and a familiarity with the racing surface proved to be a winning combination for Tiz No Clown, who graduated in style with a 2 ½-length maiden special weight triumph, and became the first winner for Pleasant Acres Stallioons' freshman sire No Never No More.  

    Owned and trained by Charles Town-based William Earl Atkins, Tiz No Clown ($9.80) won the six-furlong maiden special weight in :59.29 seconds over a fast main track with Yomar Ortiz aboard for the first time. The win came six weeks after the colt finished first by 1 ¼ lengths in a 4 ½-furlong maiden claiming event May on 12 at Pimlico Race Course, but was taken down and placed third for coming over from his outside post position out of the starting gate.

    “He got it back today, in a maiden special weight,” Atkins said. “That was a good deal.”

    Tiz No Clown broke sharply and raced alongside Ice Cold Frosty in the early stages before getting away to a clear lead leaving the backstretch. Tall Order, favored at 6-5, moved into a challenging position around the far turn but Tiz No Clown straightened for home in command and opened up through the lane. Ice Cold Frosty held second over Lacey Gaudet-trained stablemate Quincy Cafe, with Tall Order fourth.

    Bred in Maryland by Stephen Smith and Denise Jones, Tiz No Clown was the only horse in the field of six that had raced previously. After the last start, Atkins decided to regularly make the 90-minute trip from West Virginia to Maryland to further his education.

    “I’ve been bringing him here and working him every week and I’ve been working him at home. We live in Charles Town and we trailered him in here to work him over this surface, and I said, ‘OK, now he’s ready to go,’” Atkins said. “The first time I ran him here he wasn’t sure of the dirt and he was climbing real bad, so he did no good. The second time I ran him was when I ran him at Pimlico, and the dirt there is more like it is at Charles Town where he trains, and he won, but they set him down, I said what we needed to do was trailer him over to Laurel and work him over the surface and let him get used to it. So, that’s what we did. It worked out perfect.”

    In addition to regular gallops, Tiz No Clown had one timed breeze at Laurel prior to his breakthrough win, a three-furlong move in 36.80 seconds on June 15 which ranked second of 15 horses on the day. “He’s fast and the thing about it is, this horse can go all day. When I train him down here, this horse can go two laps at Laurel and comes back and doesn’t even break a sweat. He can go a mile, mile and a sixteenth; there isn’t a distance this horse can’t go,” Atkins said. “I sure do like him a lot. He’s so easy. When we ship in, he’s so quiet he never does anything wrong. Nothing. And he’s still a colt, too.”

    The 37th Jim McKay Maryland Million on Oct. 22 at Laurel is a late-season goal for Tiz No Clown. “He’s Maryland Million nominated, so that’s where he’ll go,” Atkins said. “Now I can give him a little break because he won. It’ll be a little while before they write an allowance race for 2-year-olds, so I’ll just give him a break for a couple of months and just play with him and then bring him back.”

    LAUREL, MD – Having its own independent ambulance service, considered a rarity among U.S. thoroughbred racetracks, enabled the Maryland Jockey Club to quickly and effectively respond to a call for help from its elderly community.

    The MJC was among several companies that answered a request sent out by the Maryland State Office of Commercial Ambulances Licensing & Regulation in the early morning hours of June 14 following an explosion and resulting fire at the Larkin Chase Center senior care facility in Bowie, Md.

    Located about 35 minutes southeast of Laurel Park, where live racing is currently being conducted during a 37-day summer meet that began June 3, the Larkin Chase Center had 112 displaced residents that needed to be moved from an emergency holding area located in a city gymnasium across the street from the facility.

    Ryan Allen, a licensed paramedic and the MJC’s Director of Health & Safety, and MJC emergency medical technician Tony Posinski staffed the ambulance that was dispatched and ultimately able to move three individuals to nearby facilities.

     “Most tracks contract with AMR [American Medical Response] to provide ambulance service for them. We don’t contract with anybody. We run our own in-house ambulances. We own it, I operate it, and we’re registered with the state. We comply with all of the exact same rules as the commercial ambulance companies,” Allen said. “This call came out, and we had an ambulance available.”

    Allen said eight commercial ambulance companies from around the state, including the MJC, responded to the call.

    “The initial response was to get the residents out of that building, because they didn’t know how bad the damage to the building was,” Allen said. “It was really easy to move the residents into that gymnasium and hold them there, but obviously they can’t stay there very long. The call came out at about 7 a. m. and we had a unit there at about 10:30, which was pretty standard with all the responding units.”

    The MJC has an ambulance on the track during each of its live race days, which run Fridays through Sundays during the ongoing summer meet. The next live program is Friday, June 17.

    In his eighth year with the MJC, Allen said that Maryland is somewhat unique in that its ambulances are not regulated by the Department of Health as in most states, but report to a distinct governing body, the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems.

    “The idea was that we had the resources, we had the availability, and it was really fortunate that we were able to help get those people out and get them re-housed within about five hours,” he said. “We were able to provide some relief to them and their loved ones. We explained we were there to take care of them, get them re-housed to a temporary situation and get them safe and comfortable. I’m very glad that we were able to help them out with that. It was really easy for the MJC to be able to do it.”

     HALLANDALE BEACH, FL –Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. made an unexpected visit to the Gulfstream Park winner’s circle Saturday.

    Not that Sister Lou Ann was a surprise winner of the $75,000 Martha Washington, but her trainer had planned on being at Belmont Park to saddle Skippylongstocking for a start in the Belmont Stakes. After experiencing flight delays and eventually a cancellation, Joseph decided to remain in South Florida to carry out his saddling duties at Gulfstream.

    The winner’s circle ceremony at Gulfstream turned out to be a memorable and emotional one following the Ken and Sarah Ramsey home-bred’s front-running victory in the mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies on turf. Sister Lou Ann’s first stakes victory came less than two weeks after Sarah Ramsey’s passing.

    “To win for Mr. Ramsey after Mrs. Ramsey passed away, this is for her. This is a special win,” said Joseph, approximately two hours before the Belmont Stakes was scheduled to go to post. “Mr. Ramsey, the one thing he wants to do is to make sure to run as Ken and Sarah Ramsey, he told me. He was adamant about that happening. He wants to make sure to keep the tradition going on.”

    Sister Lou Ann, the 2-1 favorite ridden by Leonel Reyes, went right to the front to set the pace before shaking off a mild challenge by Saturday Night Gal on the turn into the homestretch and drawing clear by 1 ¼ lengths. The daughter of Frosted ran the about 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:48.60 over a ‘good’ turf.

    Saturday’s victory was the first stakes success for Sister Lou Ann, who was making her first start since finishing a close second in the Wait a While Stakes at Gulfstream Dec. 3. Saturday Nite Girl held second, a neck in front of Jan’s Girl. The Joseph-trained Miss You Ella finished fourth after a troubled trip.

    In the co-featured $75,000 Not Surprising, Julian De Mora Jr.’s California Frolic, who captured the English Channel on turf on May 7, came right back to win on Gulfstream’s Tapeta course.

    The 3-year-old son of California Chrome, who has won three of four starts since being claimed for $50,000, raced from well off the early pace before making moving to the lead at the top of the stretch and holding off Treasure King by a neck. California Frolic ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.59 under Edgar Perez. Joseph-trained Treasure King finished second, 5 ¼ lengths ahead of Klugman.

    Ocala Stud Farm's Girvin has given Florida's freshman sires their first stakes-winner - Devious Dame - who followed up her sensational debut with a convincing victory yesterday in the $150,000 Astoria Stakes at Belmont Park. 

    The 2-year-old filly bred by Ocala Stud, Joe O'Farrell 3rd, David O'Farrell et al, and trained by Norm Casse, came from off the pace in the 5 1/2-furlong race, looped the field on the turn, and powered past the pace-setter in mid-stretch. The $240,000 OBS March purchase by owner John Oxley drew off by 5 1/4 lengths and was eased at the end by rider Joel Rosario, paying $2.90.

    Devious Dame earned a check for $82,500, and added to the $35,560 she collected for her 5-furlong maiden-breaker at Churchill Downs, which she won by 5 1/2 lengths, she now has a bank account of $118,060. The budding star has received Equibase 'E' speed figures of 87 and 86. 

    Of 39 first-year sires who have had at least one runner thus far, Girvin is in third place with $126,120 in the till.  

    Hip No. 525, a daughter of Uncle Mo consigned by Omar Ramirez Bloodstock, Agent, went to Donato Lanni, Agent, for $725,000 to top the second session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2022 June Sale of Two-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age. The bay filly, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat at Wednesday’s Under Tack session, is out of Ultralight Beam, by Giant’s Causeway, a half-sister to graded stakes-winner His Race to Win.

    Donato Lanni, Agent, went to $625,000 for Hip No. 560, a daughter of Flatter consigned by Julie Davies LLC, Agent, who worked Wednesday’s fastest eighth, clocked in :9 4/5. The gray or roan filly is out of Wicked Ride, by Candy Ride (ARG), a half-sister to Gr. I stakes-winning OBS graduate Wickedly Perfect

    Hip No. 544, a son of Munnings consigned by Dark Star Thoroughbreds (Stori Atchison) was purchased by Benjamin Gase for $300,000. The chestnut colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 on Wednesday, is a half-brother to graded stakes-winner Great Island out of Voyage, by Rahy.

    Hip 695, a son of More Than Ready consigned by Kings Equine, Agent for Spendthrift Farm, was sold to Lane’s End Racing for $250,000. The dark bay or brown colt, whose Under Tack eighth in :10 flat was co-fastest at the distance on Thursday, is out of Brandy, by Unbridled’s Song, a daughter of stakes-winner Alienated.

    Chris Coleman paid $230,000 for Hip No. 519, a daughter of Mshawish consigned by Blas Perez Stables, Agent. The bay filly, who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 on Wednesday, is a half-sister to graded stakes-placed OBS grad  Skippylongstocking, entered in Saturday’s Belmont Stakes, as well as graded stakes-placed stakes-winning OBS graduate Moonlite Strike, out of Twinkling, by War Chant.

    Hip 655, Luke the Legend, a son of Ride On Curlin consigned by Crystal Eclipse Stable, was purchased by Big Sky Racing for $230,000. The chestnut colt, whose eighth in :10 flat was co-fastest at the distance on Thursday, is out of Awesome Sunrize, by Awesome Again, a half-sister to graded stakes-winning OBS graduate Stubbins.

    Hip No. 541, a daughter of Hit It a Bomb consigned by Woodside Ranch, Agent, was sold to Sarah Kelly for $200,000. The bay filly, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat on Wednesday, is out of Voided Contract, by Zensational, from the family of champion Smarty Jones.

    Hip No. 613, a daughter of Candy Ride (ARG) consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, was sold to D. J. Stable LLC for $185,000. The gray or roan filly, who breezed an eighth on Thursday in :10 2/5, is a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Copper Bullet out of Allegory, by Unbridled’s Song.

    Hip No. 473, a daughter of Empire Maker consigned by Tom McCrocklin, Agent, was sold to David Ingordo, Agent, for $160,000. The gray or roan filly, who turned in an Under Tack quarter in :21 2/5 on Wednesday, is out of Tapital Gang, by Tapit, a daughter of graded stakes-winner Yearly Report.

    Hip No. 550, a son of Tapiture consigned by CM Thoroughbreds, went to Mike Pender, Agent, for $150,000. The chestnut gelding, second in a maiden dash at Gulfstream prior to the sale, is out of War Angel, by Declaration of War, from the family of graded stakes-winner Slew of Pearls.

    For the session, 217 horses grossed $9,414,000, compared with 205 selling for a total of $8,472,600 at last year’s second session. The average was $43,382 compared with $41,330 a year ago, while the median price was $25,000, compared to $17,000 in 2021.  The buyback percentage was 19.9%; it was 16.3% last year.

    HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Today’s live racing card at Gulfstream Park has been canceled due to heavy rains from a tropical storm system making its way across South Florida. Ditto for Sunday's program.

    A tropical storm warning remained in effect early this morning by the National Weather Service. The Gulfstream Park facility will remain open for simulcast and casino wagering. 

    Live racing is scheduled to resume Thursday with a 1:05 post time and a $700,000 guaranteed Rainbow 6 jackpot. 

    Hip No. 634, a son of Constitution consigned by Blue River Bloodstock, Inc., Agent, worked three-eighths in :33 1/5 to post the fastest work at the distance at the fourth session of the Under Tack Show for Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2022 June Sale of Two Year Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age. The bay colt is out of Arana, by Hard Spun, from the family of graded stakes winner Clearing.

Three horses shared honors for the session’s fastest quarter, stopping the timer in :21 flat.

Hip No. 573, a dark bay or brown colt by Bal a Bali (BRZ) consigned by Cruzin’ Thoroughbreds, Agent, is out of Winged Fury, by War Chant, a daughter of champion Fiji (GB).

Hip No. 685, also consigned by Cruzin’ Thoroughbreds, Agent, is a bay colt by Blame out of graded stakes placed stakes winner Bling On the Music, by Too Much Bling.

Hip No. 741, Major Deal, consigned by Galvan Brothers Equine, is a bay gelding by Klimt out of Christiansted, by Artie Schiller, from the family of graded stakes winner Mad Flatter.

A trio of youngsters breezed quarters in :21 2/5.

Hip No. 687, consigned by Britton Peak, Agent, is a bay colt by Blame out of stakes placed Blithely, by Exchange Rate, a half sister to graded stakes winner Merry Meadow.

Hip No. 702, a bay filly by Uncaptured consigned by Ocala Stud, is a full sister to stakes placed Bet On Mookie out of Brown Glaze, by War Front, from the family of graded stakes placed stakes winning OBS graduate Lucky Livi.

Hip No. 724, consigned by GOP Racing Stable Corp., is a bay colt by Lord Nelson out of Cash Is Queen, by Unbridled’s Song, a half sister to graded stakes winner Name Changer.

Twelve horses tied for the session’s fastest eighth, clocked in :10 flat.

Hip 599, Magnified, consigned by Nice and Easy Thoroughbreds, is a chestnut colt by Tunwoo out of Adios Ashley, by Adios Charlie, a daughter of stakes winner Ashley River.

Hip 606, Canela de Oro, a gray or roan filly by Majestic City consigned by Golden Noguez, Agent, is out of Agustina de Aragon, by Political Force, from the family of champion Leroidesanimaux (BRZ).

Hip 618, a dark bay or brown colt by Connect consigned by Champions of the Future, is out of champion Along Came Polly (SAF), by Judpot, from the family of champion Young Rake.

Hip 624, consigned by Goldencents Thoroughbreds, a dark bay or brown filly by Tapwrit, is out of Ammalu, by Boston Harbor, a half sister to graded stakes winner Sapphire N’ Silk.

Hip 652, a bay filly by Always Dreaming consigned by A Rebel Colt Consignment, is out of stakes winner Away We Go, by Tizway, from the family of grade one stakes winner Ogygian.

Hip 655, Luke the Legend, a chestnut colt by Ride On Curlin consigned by Crystal Eclipse Stable, is out of Awesome Sunrize, by Awesome Again, a half sister to graded stakes winning OBS graduate Stubbins.

Hip 670, consigned by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent, is a dark bay or brown filly by Munnings out of Beautiful Princess, by Giant’s Causeway, from the family of graded stakes winner Forest Music.

Hip 695, consigned by Kings Equine, Agent for Spendthrift Farm LLC, is a dark bay or brown colt by More Than Ready out of Brandy, by Unbridled’s Song, a daughter of stakes winner Alienated.

Hip 700, an Irish-bred bay colt by Caravaggio consigned by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent, is out of stakes placed Brioniya, by Pivotal, a daughter of graded stakes placed stakes winner Bahia Breeze.

Hip 706, consigned by Marcial Galan, Agent, is a chestnut colt by First Samurai out of stakes placed Button Girl, by Mizzen Mast, a half sister to graded stakes winner Coracle.

Hip 713, a bay colt by Quality Road consigned by Centofanti Thoroughbreds, Agent, is out of graded stakes winner Call Pat, by Lawyer Ron.

Hip 715, consigned by GOP Racing Stable Corp, is a dark bay or brown colt by West Coast out of Canadian River, by Smart Strike, a half sister to graded stakes winner Montgomery’s Arch.

    Hip No. 116, a daughter of Adios Charlie consigned by Ocala Stud, worked a quarter in :21 flat to post the fastest work at the distance at the opening session of the Under Tack Show for Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2022 June Sale of Two Year Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age. The bay filly is out of stakes-placed Miss Melinda, by Malibu Moon, a daughter of graded stakes- placed stakes-winner Black Escort.

Nine horses shared honors for the fastest eighth, stopping the timer in :10 flat.

    Hip 2, Gambito, a bay colt by Astern (AUS) consigned by Fast Horses, Agent, is a half brother to champion La Poetesa out of grade one stakes winner La Dalila (CHI), by Milt’s Overture.   

    Hip 9, a dark bay or brown colt by Army Mule consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, is out of Lady Halite, by Medaglia d’Oro, from the family of graded stakes winning OBS graduate Buffalo Man.

    Hip 23, consigned by Shooting Star Sales LLC, is a chestnut colt by Bucchero out of Law of Attraction, by Soldat, from the family of graded stakes winner Native Bombshell.

    Hip 36, a bay colt by Astern (AUS) consigned by Grassroots Training & Sales LLC, Agent, is out of Lexi Tap, by Pleasant Tap, a half sister to graded stakes winner Irish Jasper.

    Hip 37, consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, is a dark bay or brown filly by Girvin out of Libbyris, by Algorithms, a half sister to champion Roy H.

     Hip 82, a dark bay or brown filly by Candy Ride (ARG) consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, is out of Malhama, by Tiznow, from the family of champion Paradise Creek.

    Hip 112, consigned by Centofanti Thoroughbreds, Agent, is a bay filly by Into Mischief out of stakes winner Miss Hollywood, by Malibu Moon, a daughter of grade one winner Hollywood Story.

    Hip 130 a dark bay or brown filly by Bayern consigned by Paul Sharp, Agent, is a half sister to graded stakes placed stakes winner Bishop’s Pond out of stakes winner More for Me, by More Than Ready.

    Hip 164, Roll On Big Joe, consigned by Gayle Woods, Agent, is a colt by Prospective out of Nina’s Gift, by Victory Gallop, from the family of grade one stakes winner Norway Boy.

There were two quarters in :21 1/5.

    Hip No. 123, consigned by Omar Ramirez Bloodstock, Agent, is a chestnut filly by Redesdale out of Miz Midtown, by Exchange Rate, a daughter of stakes winner Midtown Miss.

    Hip No. 124, a gray or roan colt by Cinco Charlie consigned by L. G., Agent, is out of Mlle. Minuit, by Midnight Lute, from the family of graded stakes winner Yestday’s Kisses.

Three horses were clocked in :21 2/5.

    Hip No. 137, consigned by Davis Breaking and Training, Inc., Agent, is a gray or roan filly by Cross Traffic out of Mo Wicked, by Uncle Mo, from the family of grade one stakes winner Wickedly Perfect.

    Hip No. 141, a bay colt by Jimmy Creed consigned by Goldencents Thoroughbreds, is out of Ms Giavonna, by Medaglia d’Oro, from the family of grade one winner Pampered Princess.

    Hip No. 167, a bay colt by Always Dreaming consigned by Niall Brennan Stables, Agent, is a half brother to graded stakes winner Major General out of No Mo Lemons, by Uncle Mo.

    BALTIMORE – Pimlico Race Course will kick off Memorial Day weekend today with a live eight-race program featuring a carryover of $432,827 in the 20-cent Rainbow 6. Post time is 12:40 p.m. for the first of four programs that also mark the final weekend of the 12-day Preakness Meet, which began May 12 and runs through a special Memorial Day holiday card May 30.

    The Rainbow 6 carryover dates back to the last live racing day, when Early Voting captured the 147th Preakness Stakes May 21 to give Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stable and trainer Chad Brown their second victory in the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown in six years.

    The Rainbow 6 carryover is the largest in Maryland since it reached a state-record $1,435,080.75 over 27 consecutive racing programs before a mandatory payout of $31,028.08 to multiple ticketholders July 4, 2021.

    Introduced in Maryland April 2, 2015 on opening day of Pimlico’s spring meet, the Rainbow 6 had a prior state record carryover of $345,898.33 spanning 31 racing programs before being solved by one lucky bettor for a life-changing $399,545.94 payout April 15, 2018 at Laurel Park.

    The Rainbow 6 sequence spans Races 3-8 and opens with a maiden special weight for fillies and mares age 3, 4 and 5 scheduled for five furlongs on the turf that drew a field of nine including Pray for the U S A, entered for main track only. The 7-5 program favorite is 3-year-old Visby, a second-time starter for trainer Justin Nixon that was beaten a length in an April 22 maiden special weight at Laurel by La Casa d’Oro, who came back to run sixth in the Miss Preakness May 20.

    Race 4 is a six-furlong claimer for fillies and mares 3 and up which have never won two races. Some Is Nine enters the race of a 2 ¾-length maiden claiming victory May 15 at Pimlico, her fourth start since being claimed for $10,000 by trainer Mario Serey Jr. Trainer Kieron Magee sends out Moon Biz, who has been third or better in four of eight lifetime starts including her lone victory at this level Feb. 27 at Laurel.

    Ten maiden fillies and mares age 3, 4 and 5 are entered to sprint six furlongs in a Race 5 claiming event. The Elkstone Group’s Maryland hombred Doomscroller, a 3-year-old daughter of Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Tonalist, is 7-5 on the morning line as she drops to the $16,000 level after finishing off the board in her first three starts, one in a maiden special weight and two with the waiver in maiden claimers.

    Golden Can and Whiteknuckleflyer figure to vie for favoritism in Race 6, a $40,000 allowance for Maryland-bred/sired fillies and mares 3 and up scheduled for five furlongs on the grass. A four-time winner, Golden Can will be making just her second start since last October after finishing fifth in an off-the-turf optional claimer May 19 at Pimlico. Whiteknuckleflyer ran second in last September’s Small Wonder at Delaware Park and has not raced since finishing a troubled seventh in the Smart Halo Nov. 13 at Laurel.

    The feature comes in Race 7, an optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up sprinting six furlongs where both Hampden Lane and Hagler are entered for a $62,500 tag. Hagler ships in from New York for trainer Rudy Rodriguez after going 0-for-3 this year including fifths in the Jan. 1 Jerome and Feb. 6 Jimmy Winkfield at Aqueduct. The 7-5 program favorite is Rominski, who has a win and two seconds in three lifetime starts. Trained by Claudio Gonzalez, he was second by 1 ½ lengths as the favorite in a six-furlong optional claimer May 5 at Laurel, his first start in more than five months.

    Thursday’s card wraps up with a six-furlong claiming sprint for maidens age 3, 4 and 5 where Frightland is a 3-5 morning line favorite for trainer Brittany Russell off his first two starts, both this year at Laurel. The 4-year-old Munnings gelding was fourth in a six-furlong maiden special weight April 22 before finishing second in a 5 ½-furlong maiden claiming turf sprint 19 days later. Feargal Lynch, aboard for each race, returns to ride.

NOTES: Russell, whose 2022 Laurel spring title made her just the fourth female to win a meet championship in Maryland, leads the Preakness Meet standings with five wins, one ahead of Mike Trombetta, Jamie Ness and Richard Sillaman … Jevian Toledo sits atop the jockey standings with 10 wins, four more than Victor Carrasco and Jaime Rodriguez.

    BALTIMORE – With trainer Steve Asmussen’s premier division spending the winter stabled in New Orleans and most of the rest of year in Louisville, favored Epicenter will play his first road game in Saturday’s 147th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course.

    Starting out at Churchill Downs, then going through Fair Grounds’ four-race series of Derby preps leading into the Kentucky Derby, Epicenter has raced only over the tracks where he’s been stabled. That changes with the 1 3/16-mile Preakness in Baltimore.

     “I like how he’s settled in and how he looked over the racetrack,” Asmussen said Thursday morning after the 6-5 morning-line Preakness favorite galloped. “That’s what we were concerned about coming in here, because of the fact that he’d been at Churchill, and he’d been at the Fair Grounds. Basically, he was home when he ran in all his previous races. This will be new as far as running. 

    “But from what we’ve seen from the two days that he’s been on the racetrack and his demeanor in the stall, he’s been consistent. His appetite has been the same. He’s cleaned up. He’s been very relaxed going to the track,” he added. “He’s looked very lively on the racetrack, and he’s cooled out very comfortably. So, I think he’s settled in extremely well. But that is a variable that we were concerned about coming in.”

    Another variable: temperatures expected to climb into the mid to upper 90s Saturday. 

    “I’m as concerned as you can be, if you’ve never dealt with it or performed under it being that warm,” Asmussen said. “I mean, it’s just getting to that time of year. But it will also let us know how they will handle it going forward, since it won’t be the last time they’re faced with it.

    “… You handle what you have control over and put yourself in the best position possible, and try to eliminate as many variables that could get in the way of that,” he added. “I think the variable we’re not sure of is if it is actually 95, 96 degrees here, and we know it can get pretty sticky here in Baltimore. All of them are going to have to deal with that, but he’s a big horse turning back in 14 days. Make sure he’s drinking plenty of water and he’s hydrated, just like your kids."

    Off impressive triumphs in the Louisiana Derby and Risen Star in New Orleans, Epicenter also was sent off the favorite in the Kentucky Derby. He settled into eighth – the farthest he’s been back in a race – under 2021 Eclipse Award-winning jockey Joel Rosario, before moving between horses on the far turn to get into striking position and taking the lead with a quarter of a mile to go.

    Epicenter kept the horse that seemed to be his main competition, Blue Grass winner Zandon, at bay in the stretch. But just when Epicenter seemed destined to give Asmussen and owner Ron Winchell their first Derby victory, 80-1 shot Rich Strike powered up the rail to win by three-quarters of a length after being last early behind a record pace.

    Of all the scenarios Asmussen had played through his mind, he admitted right after the Derby that the Rich Strike outcome was not one.

    “I believe it was the longest shot on the board that won the race, so you can’t count anybody out,” he said “… With us, we’re concerned about the things we have control over, the condition of our horse and getting another top-level performance out of him. From this year’s results in the Derby, you won’t take anybody for granted, and you’ll try to cover your bases as far as being prepared for everything."

    Asmussen acknowledged being disappointed that Rich Strike was kept out of the Preakness to await the Belmont Stakes.

    “I wanted another shot at it, maybe just me being ignorant. But you’re here to compete,” he said. “I’m sure they’ll meet up again down the road, hopefully.” 

    Epicenter was scheduled to school in the paddock during Thursday’s fifth race at Pimlico. He will school at the starting gate Friday morning, Asmussen said.

    Jockey Joel Rosario will seek his first victory in the Preakness with 6-5 favorite Epicenter. Rosario has ridden in the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown at Pimlico Race Course seven times, with a trio of seconds on relative long shots. He finished fourth in 2013 aboard his Kentucky Derby winner Orb.

    In a phone conversation with Preakness media, the reigning Eclipse Award-winning rider was asked mainly about the 2022 Derby, when Epicenter looked like the winner in deep stretch, only to be passed in the final strides by 80-1 shot Rich Strike. For Rosario, everything went right in the race except the outcome.

    “We had a great trip,” Rosario said. “How the race set up, we kind of had to move a little early. But he did really well. Turning for home it looked like we were going to win the race until that horse came in the last 50 yards and just blew by us. But he ran a great race. He did everything I asked him to do. It was a very good race for him. We expect a big race and see what he does. He’s a very good horse.”

    Rosario acknowledged it flashed through his mind that he was going to win his second Kentucky Derby. “It went through my mind. He looked really good,” he said. “Turning for home, he went on and took off. Yeah, I was very, very excited at that point. But what can I say? The horse ran really well. It would have been really great if we could have won it, but it doesn’t work out sometimes.”

   He said he didn’t see Rich Strike – who was four lengths back at the eighth-pole – moving on the inside until about the sixteenth pole.  “It looked like everybody stayed off the rail that day,” Rosario said. “And my horse was running fast enough at that point that I never thought somebody was coming inside like he did.”

    Epicenter continued to establish his versatility in the Derby, settling into eighth and on the inside from his No. 3 post in the early stages.

    “He did everything well,” Rosario said. “He responded to everything I did. It seems like it doesn’t matter to him [where he is].”

    Rosario said he likes breaking from post #8 in the Preakness’ field of nine, as well as being outside of Early Voting, a likely candidate for setting the pace from Post #5. Santa Anita allowance winner Armagnac also figures to be right near the lead, having gone wire to wire in his two victories. Conventional wisdom suggests being outside the other speed gives Rosario a tactical advantage, especially with a horse that in his past two races has shown he is content to rate behind rivals.

    “It’s the sort of thing where we’ll see what the speed has to say,” Rosario said. “And we’ll play off of that. I’m going to ride him with a lot of confidence, and if we’re the best, we’ll win.”

    BALTIMORE – Another long-standing tradition has been restored to the Preakness Stakes festivities this year with the return of the Alibi Breakfast, a popular gathering of horsemen, media and celebrities alike in an informal yet informative preview of the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.

    This year’s Alibi Breakfast will be held from 9 to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 19 in the Terrace Dining Room on the second-floor clubhouse overlooking Pimlico Race Course. The 147th Preakness for 3-year-olds is set for Saturday, May 21.

    Tickets can be purchased at: Alibi Breakfast | Tickets at Your Computer or Mobile Device | Tixr at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore at Preakness | Tixr. WBAL’s Pete Gilbert and Scott Wykoff will host.

    Tradition holds that the Alibi Breakfast’s humble beginnings go back to a few trainers sipping coffee on the porch of Pimlico’s old clubhouse in the late 1930s, extolling the virtues of their horses and offering up excuses – or alibis – should their horse not win.

    It was late longtime publicity director David Woods who came up with the idea for the breakfast itself in the 1940s. Today it is a chance for the media to be recognized for excellence, for owners and trainers to trade often humorous stories regarding their own horses or their competitors, and to enjoy a buffet that includes Maryland crab cakes, fried chicken and waffles and smoked salmon as well as traditional breakfast fare.

    For those brave enough, Black-Eyed Susans – the official drink of the Preakness – will also be served.

    No horseman has enjoyed more time, or shared more entertaining stories, at the Alibi Breakfast than Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. The 86-year-old Lukas has started a record 45 horses in 30 Preaknesses dating back to 1980, when Codex was his first of six winners.

    Lukas also won with Tank’s Prospect (1985), Tabasco Cat (1994), Timber Country (1995), Charismatic (1999) and Oxbow (2013). Thirteen times he has entered more than one horse, including three each in 1996 and 2013.

    This year, Lukas is considering the Preakness for both the filly Secret Oath, winner of the May 6 Kentucky Oaks, and Ethereal Road, who was entered but scratched from the May 7 Kentucky Derby.

    “I think it’s noteworthy. I think it’s something that was enjoyed by many,” Lukas said of the Alibi Breakfast. “But, the main thing is that it brought in the public and let them see a different side of the jockeys and trainers a little bit [and] get up close and personal. It’s a really nice event.”

    BALTIMORE – Two weeks after Rich Strike’s shocking 80-1 upset victory in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, his trainer is scheduled to saddle his first starter at Pimlico Race Course during his 37-year career.

    Eric Reed, who lived every trainer’s dream when Rich Strike won the Run for the Roses following a 15th-to-first stretch surge, will be on unfamiliar ground when he saddles Richard Dawson’s colt for a start in the 147th Preakness Stakes (on May 21. However, the 58-year-old trainer does have a family connection to Pimlico and the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.

    Although W. E. ‘Smiley’ Adams saddled Master Derby for a victory in the 1975 Preakness, it was Reed’s father, Herbert, who was involved in the early training and development of the son of Dust Commander.

    “My dad was orphaned, and he was raised by Mack Miller, the Hall of Fame trainer. My dad, when he got married, had me at 16. He was an exercise rider and became a trainer. He was a very good horseman. He was working for Golden Chance Farm – Mrs. (Verna) Lehmann. He developed all kinds of big horses. He would not travel to the races. She would beg him every year, ‘Take them to Florida. You’ve done all the work,’” Reed said Monday morning from his Mercury Equine Center near Lexington.

    “My dad would not leave the family behind,” he added. “He turned down the opportunity most trainers live for – fame, fortune, etcetera – to take care of his family. This Derby that happened to me, having my dad there, was better than winning the race, in all honesty.”

    Meanwhile, Rich Strike has returned to Mercury Equine Center for a few days of R & R before resuming training for the Preakness

“He’s just had a couple days off, walking, grazing, getting bathed, just getting over the race, getting his mind right. He’s seemed to come out of the race really good. We’ll have him on the track in the morning,” Reed said. “If things go well this week in the next couple days, I’ll go back to Churchill, gallop him a few days and maybe give him a little workout Monday or Tuesday to stretch his legs. Then, if all goes well, we’ll head to Pimlico.”

    Tami Bobo and Tristan De Meric’s Simplification, who finished a late-closing fourth in the Derby, is scheduled to run back in Preakness 147. The Fountain of Youth winner was expected to arrive at Pimlico between 4-5 a.m. today following a van ride from Churchill Downs. Simplification will be the second Preakness starter for trainer Antonio Sano, who saddled Gunnevera for a fifth-place finish in 2017.

    Daniel Alonso’s Skippylongstocking is scheduled to breeze at Gulfstream Park Friday or Saturday before shipping to Pimlico the next day for a start in the Preakness, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. reported Monday. The son of 2016 Preakness winner Exaggerator most recently finished third in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.

    Forced to bypass the Derby because of a minor but untimely foot bruise, Un Ojo’s team believes the gelding will be ready to put his best hoof forward in the Preakness. Un Ojo jogged twice around Churchill Downs’ mile track Monday morning under Clay Courville, assistant to his dad, Louisiana-based trainer Ricky Courville, while also serving as exercise rider, groom and hotwalker when their stable star is on the road.

    “He’s doing good. He’s been training good, been back to the track three times now,” Clay Courville said. “He’s on the right track, moving forward. He wanted to gallop. I decided to give him another day of jogging and I’ll gallop him (Tuesday) morning. The foot seems good. He’s hitting the ground well, traveling well. We’ll gallop tomorrow and see how he is.” The one-eyed Un Ojo was withdrawn from the Derby the morning that entries were taken, five days before the Churchill Downs classic.

    “It was tough,” Clay Courville said. “It was hard to do, but it was the right thing for the horse. If everything goes well, we’ll be on to the Preakness. He’s scheduled to work on Saturday morning. We’ll see how he is after that and decide what to do.” Courville said his dad has never raced a horse at Pimlico but that he came to Old Hilltop when trainer Eric Guillot asked him to help out with Laoban, who finished sixth in the 2016 Preakness.

    “I was working for my dad when Mr. Eric called me and gave me the opportunity to travel and come up with him and get on the horse for the Preakness,” he said. “I took advantage of it and went. It was just cool to be up there and experience new things as a young kid.”

    Clay Courville, now 25, can appreciate Rich Strike’s victory at 80-1 odds after drawing into the field at literally the last minute to carry the banner for the “little guy.” Rich Strike is only the second graded stakes-winner for trainer Reed, in a career that began in 1985 and includes 1,445 victories through Sunday. Un Ojo won Oaklawn Park’s $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at 75-1 to give Ricky Courville his first graded score.

    “I was extremely happy for their connections,” Clay Courville said of the Rich Strike team. “I feel people like that deserve it, people who work hard and don’t have a lot of horses like that, like most people don’t. They take pride in their work, and I like seeing people like that win.”

    Still, Clay Courville acknowledged of the Derby, “It kind of sucked watching it, because I was like, ‘Man, it set up perfect for our type of horse: the hot pace and all the closers came running.’ You never know.”

    Trainer Steve Asmussen said that Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Derby runner-up Epicenter came out of race in good order, with the Preakness decision coming after the colt resumes training. “All systems look great right now,” North America’s all-time winningest trainer said. “He’ll catch another walk day and go back to the track Wednesday morning, and we’ll see where we’re at there.”

    Epicenter, with Joel Rosario aboard, appeared headed to the Derby winner’s circle until literally the last few strides when passed on the inside by Rich Strike. 

  Asmussen won the 2007 Preakness Stakes with 2007-2008 Horse of the Year Curlin and in 2009 with Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra.

    Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said no Preakness decision has been made yet on Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath or Rebel Stakes runner-up Ethereal Road, whose Friday morning scratch made it possible for Rich Strike to run in the Kentucky Derby. “We’re justgoing to give it a little time,” said Lukas, a six-time Preakness winner, most recently with Oxbow in 2013.  

    Trainer Kenny McPeek said Creative Minister, Smile Happy and Rattle N Roll are under consideration for the Preakness, a stakes the trainer won in 2020 with the filly Swiss Skydiver. He added that Smile Happy, eighth in the Derby, and Rattle N Roll, winner of last year’s Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland, will not compete against each other, with both owned by Lucky 7 Stable. Rattle N Roll was entered in the Derby but did not get in off the also-eligible list.

    Creative Minister, who would have to be supplemented for $150,000, closed to win a 1 1/16-mile allowance race on the Derby undercard by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:42.37, his last sixteenth-mile in under six seconds. “We were impressed, and we’re talking about taking him,” McPeek said at Churchill Downs. “I’ve got several that I can consider that we’ll watch all this week.”

    Tiz the Bomb will go back to the turf after finishing ninth in the Derby, the trainer said. Tiz the Bomb easily handled Rich Strike twice at Turfway Park while winning the John Battaglia Memorial and the $600,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks. 

    “I think the Derby winner just loved Churchill,” McPeek said of Rich Strike, whose only prior victory came by 17 lengths in the Churchill Downs $30,000 maiden-claiming race from which trainer Eric Reed claimed him for owner Rick Dawson. “He’s run two huge races here. There are horses like that.”

    Trainer Kelly Breen said Monday that his graded stakes-placed colt In Due Time is not a candidate for the Preakness Stakes. The son of Not This Time was second to Simplification in the Fountain of Youth on March 5 at Gulfstream Park. In is most recent start, he was third as the 8-5 favorite in the Lexington on April 16 at Keeneland.

    Santa Anita Derby winner Taiba, 12th as the Derby second choice, is out of Preakness consideration. Trainer Tim Yakteen said via text that Taiba and stablemate Messier (15th in the Derby) would head back to California. “They came back in good shape. We will regroup and come up with a campaign,” he said.

    Joe and Blackadder, colts who earned automatic entry berths with victories earlier this year, will not run in the Preakness. Trainer Michael Trombetta said Monday that Joe, the Elkstone Group’s homebred, will be nominated for the James W. Murphy Stakes on the Preakness Day program. Joe, a Maryland-bred son of Declaration of War, won the Federico Tesio on April 16 at Laurel for his fourth victory in six career starts.

    Blackadder, winner of the ‘Win and In’ El Camino Real Derby on Feb. 12 at Golden Gate Fields, was sold after his ninth-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes on April 9. His new trainer, Christophe Clement, said the Quality Road colt is not being considered for the Preakness.

    Gary Barber, Terry Hamilton and Brian Lynch’s Tobys Heart relaxed off the pace in the early going of the $199,835 Unbridled Sidney Stakes at Churchill Downs on Wednesday, came wide into the stretch, rallied to catch fellow OBS graduate Change of Control (October ’17) in the final strides and was best by a neck at the wire.

    It’s the fourth stakes win for the 4-year-old graded stakes-placed daughter of OBS graduate Jack Milton, consigned by Bold Arrow Thoroughbreds to the 2020 OBS March Sale, and sold for $45,000 after turning in an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5. Trained by Brian Lynch, she’s now 12-5-1-2 and has earned $647,495 to date. 

FIRST WINNER FOR GIRVIN - John C. Oxley’s Devious Dame tracked the pace in her debut for trainer Norm Casse on Wednesday in a $71,943 Maiden Special test at Churchill Downs, took command a furlong from home and drew away to score by 5 1/2 lengths. The first winner for her sire, Girvin, and the first winner for any Florida freshman sire in 2022, the 2-year-old Florida-bred filly earned a check for $35,560. She was purchased for $240,000 out of the Ocala Stud consignment at the 2022 OBS March Sale after breezing a quarter in :20 4/5 at the Under Tack Show. 

    C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa Stable’s White Abarrio carries the OBS banner into the 148th Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs. The colt by Race Day, trained by Saffie A. Joseph Jr., will break from post 15 and be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, aboard for his wins in Gulfstream’s Florida Derby (G1) and Holy Bull Stakes (G3).

    He’ll be right at home at Churchill Downs, where he was third in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) after winning his first two starts at Gulfstream Park. He was a 4 1/2 length winner of the Holy Bull in his 3-year-old debut, and comes into the Derby off a length and a quarter score in the Florida Derby. Now 5-4-0-1, he has earned $823,650. A two-time OBS graduate, he was sold by Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck), Agent, at the 2020 Winter Mixed Sale and then purchased for $40,000 out of the Nice and Easy Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2021 March Sale after turning in an Under Tack eighth in :10 2/5. 

    Four OBS graduates have been first in the Kentucky Derby: Lil E. Tee (1992), Silver Charm (1997), I’ll Have Another (2012) and Medina Spirit (2021).

    Five OBS graduate fillies will go to the post in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks, looking to join previous OBS Oaks winners Blind Luck (2010) and Plum Pretty (2011).

    Hidden Brook Farm and Black Type Thoroughbreds’ Hidden Connection sports a victory over the Churchill Downs surface, having captured the Pocahontas Stakes (G3) last September, and comes into the Oaks off a nose loss to champion Echo Zulu in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2). Reylu Gutierrez has the mount for trainer Bret Calhoun, and the daughter of Connect will break from post three. Now 5-2-1-0, she has earned $399,525. She’s a two-time OBS graduate, going through the ring at the 2021 Spring Sale, then purchased for $85,000 out of the Coastal Equine consignment at the 2021 June Sale after breezing an Under Tack quarter in :21 2/5. 

    H & E Ranch’s Desert Dawn comes into the Oaks off a victory in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2) in April. She’ll be saddled by trainer Philip D’Amato, and be ridden by Umberto Rispoli from post nine. The daughter of Cupid, third in Santa Anita’s Chandelier Stakes (G2) at two, has compiled a 7-2-0-2 record and has earned $378,400. Consigned by Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck), Agent for H & E Ranch, she went through the ring at the 2020 OBS October Selected Yearling Sale.

    Winngate Stables’ unbeaten Kathleen O. will break from post 10 and be ridden by Javier Castellano, who has been aboard in all of her starts. The daughter of Upstart comes into the Oaks off a 2 3/4-length victory in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) after winning Gulfstream’s Davona Dale (G2) in her graded stakes debut. She’s four-for-four for trainer Shug McGaughey, seeking his second Oaks victory, and has earned $379,730. A two-time OBS graduate, she was sold by Stuart Morris at the 2020 October Selected Yearling Sale, then purchased for $275,000 out of the Niall Brennan Stables consignment at the 2021 Spring Sale after working an Under Tack quarter in :21 1/5. 

    Trainer Kenny McPeek sends out Dixiana Farms LLC’s Cocktail Moments, second to Oaks favorite Nest in Keeneland’s Ashland Stakes (G1) in her last start and third in Gulfstream’s Davona Dale (G2) in March. Corey Lanerie rides the daughter of Uncle Mo, who will start from post 11. Now 4-1-1-2 with $214,560 in earnings, she was consigned to the 2021 OBS March Sale by Eddie Woods, Agent, where she went through the ring after breezing a quarter in :21 2/5 at the Under Tack Show. 

    KHK Racing’s unbeaten Shahama makes her first start in her native country after four wins in as many starts at Meydan, the last a two- length score in the UAE Oaks (G3). The daughter of Munnings, a half-sister to champion Lookin At Lucky, has earned $223,484. Now trained by Todd Pletcher, she will break from post 13 with Flavien Prat in the irons. Consigned to the 2021 OBS April Sale by Eddie Woods, she was purchased for $425,000 after turning in an Under Tack quarter in :21 flat. 

    Hip No. 1174, a daughter of Munnings consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, went to OXO Equine LLC for $1.6-million to top the fourth and final session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s record breaking 2022 Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. The chestnut filly, whose eighth in :9 4/5 was co-fastest at the distance at Saturday’s Under Tack session, is out of stakes winner Tensas Harbor, by Private Vow, a half sister to stakes placed OBS graduate Harbor Pilot.

    Hip No. 1139, a daughter of Justify consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, was sold for $800,000 to Chad Schumer, Agent. The gray or roan filly, who breezed an Under Tack quarter in :21 1/5 at Saturday’s Under Tack session, is a half sister to graded stakes winner Family Way, winner of Gulfstream’s recent Orchid Stakes (G3), out of Susie’s Baby, by Giant’s Causeway.

    Hip No. 1017, a daughter of Bolt d’Oro consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, went to Ben Gase for $650,000. The bay filly, whose eighth on Friday in :9 4/5 was the session’s co-fastest at the distance, is out of graded stakes placed stakes winner Scorpio Queen (AUS), by Choisir, from the family of grade one stakes winner Toledo.

    Hip No. 1091, a daughter of Connect consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, was sold to Hooties Racing LLC for $550,000. The dark bay or brown filly, who breezed an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat on Saturday, is a half sister to stakes placed OBS graduate Momameamaria out of graded stakes placed stakes winner Special Dream, by Officer.

    Hip No. 1097, a daughter of Into Mischief consigned by Gene Recio, Agent, was sold to Kent Sweezey, Agent for R. S. Evans, for $525,000. The bay filly, whose Under Tack eighth in :9 4/5 was co-fastest on Saturday, is out of Squeeze, by Lemon Drop Kid, a half sister to graded stakes winning OBS Spring Sale graduate Ocho Ocho Ocho.

    Hip No. 1230, a daughter of Malibu Moon consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, was purchased by Spendthrift Farm for $475,000. The bay filly, who turned in a Under Tack quarter in :21 1/5 on Saturday, is out of Two Step Song, by Unbridled’s Song, a half sister to graded stakes winner Informed.

    Hip No. 984, a daughter of Liam’s Map consigned by Mayberry Farm, Agent, was sold for $420,000 to Lael Stable. The gray or roan filly, who breezed an Under Tack eighth on Friday in :10 flat, is out of Rooms, by Giant’s Causeway, a half sister to stakes winner Congo Kaye.

    Hip No. 1052, a daughter of Goldencents consigned by Dynasty Thoroughbreds, was purchased by Alex & JoAnn Lieblong for $400,000. The chestnut filly, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat on Friday, is out of Shore Thing, by Majesticperfection, a daughter of stakes winning OBS graduate Conway Two Step.

    Kerri Radcliffe / Omnihorse went to $400,000 for Hip No. 1107, a daughter of Arrogate consigned by Scanlon Training & Sales, Agent. The gray or roan filly, who breezed an eighth in :10 2/5 on Saturday, is out of graded stakes placed stakes winner Stiffed, by Stephen Got Even, from the family of graded stakes winning OBS graduate Full and Fancy.

    Vince J. Foglia paid $385,000 for Hip No. 1048, a daughter of Midshipman consigned by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent. The chestnut filly, whose eighth in :9 4/5 was co-fastest at Friday’s Under Tack session, is out of stakes winner Sheza Runaway Star, by Pride of Burkaan, a half sister to stakes winning millionaire OBS graduate Rivers Run Deep.

    Hip No. 1043, a son of Collected consigned by Gene Recio, Agent, was sold to Rafter C Ranch for $360,000. The chestnut colt, who breezed a quarter in :21 2/5 on Friday, is out of She’ll Do It, by Badge of Silver, a half sister to stakes winner Amiable Grace.

    Hip No. 961, a daughter of Bernardini consigned by Mayberry Farm, Agent, was purchased by Steven W. Young, Agent, for $350,000. The bay filly, who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 on Friday, is out of stakes winner Redstart, by Blame, a half sister to graded stakes winner California Nectar.

    For the day, 159 horses brought a total of $18,775,000 compared with 167 selling for a total of $19,063,000 last year. The average price was $118,082, compared to $114,150 in 2021, while the median price was $60,000 compared to $65,000 a year ago. The buyback percentage was 20.5%; it was 14.4% in 2021.

    For the entire sale, 710 horses sold for a Spring Sale record total of $92,070,000 compared with the previous record 724 horses bringing $73,874,900 in 2021. The average price was a sale record $129,676, (surpassing 2019’s record $108,227) compared with $102,037 a year ago. The median was $65,000, compared to last year’s $50,000 and surpassing 2019’s previous $60,000 record. The buyback percentage was 15.2%; it was 13.1% last year.

    Hip No. 401, a son of Medaglia d’Oro consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, went to Red Baron’s Barn or Rancho Temescal LLC for $1,750,000 to top the second session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2022 Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. The dark bay or brown colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 at Tuesday’s Under Tack session, is a half-brother to champion Drefong out of Eltimaas, by Ghostzapper, from the family of champion Action This Day.

    Hip No. 490, a son of Mendelssohn consigned by Scanlon Training & Sales, Agent, was purchased by Mitsu Nakauchida for $1,300,000. The chestnut colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 on Tuesday, is out of Grace Is Gone, by Malibu Moon, from the family of Gr. I stakes-winner Plenty of Grace.

    Mitsu Nakauchida also went to $825,000 for Hip No. 466, a son of Into Mischief consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent. The bay colt, who breezed an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat on Tuesday, is a half-brother to graded stakes-winner Isotherm out of stakes-placed Game for More, by More Than Ready.

    Hip No. 503, a son of Curlin also consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, was sold to Donato Lanni, Agent for Michael Lund Petersen, for $800,000. The gray or roan colt, who worked an eighth on Tuesday in :10 flat, is out of Gr. I stakes-winner Hard Not to Like, by Hard Spun, a daughter of stakes-winner Like a Gem.

    J. Stable LLC went to $700,000 for Hip No. 506, a daughter of Nyquist who worked an eighth in :10 flat on Tuesday. Consigned by Eisaman Equine, Agent, the gray or roan filly is out of Hasilah, by Hard Spun, a daughter of Gr. I stakes-winner Sierra Madre (FR).

    Hip No. 602, a daughter of Curlin consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, was sold to Spry Family Farm for $600,000. The chestnut filly, who turned in a bullet :20 4/5 on Saturday, is out of stakes-placed Jumby Bay, by City Zip, a half-sister to graded stakes-placed Royal Obsession.

    Ben McElroy, Agent for M. V. Magnier, paid $600,000 for Hip No. 611, a daughter of Street Sense consigned by Lucan Bloodstock (Karl Keegan), Agent. The bay filly, who’s Under Tack eighth in 9: 4/5 was co-fastest on Wednesday, is out of Katie’s Keepsake, by Medaglia d’Oro, a daughter of graded stakes-winner Salty Strike.

    Hip No. 546, a son of Goldencents consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, was sold to Chad Schumer, Agent, for $535,000. The bay colt, whose eighth in :9 4/5 was Wednesday’s co-fastest at the distance, is a half-brother to recent Gr. I Madison Stakes winner Just One Time, out of Ida Clark, by Speightstown.

    Steve Rothblum, Agent for Mark Davis, paid $485,000 for Hip No. 558, a son of Gun Runner consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent. The bay colt, who turned in an Under Tack eighth in :10 3/5 on Wednesday, is out of Incentive, by Mr. Greeley, a half-sister to Gr. I stakes-winner Winchester.

    Hip No. 373, a son of Race Day consigned by Longoria Training & Sales, Agent, was purchased by Maverick Racing/Siena Farms/ CMNWLTH for $475,000. The bay colt, who worked a quarter in :21 flat on Tuesday, is out of Divine Friends, by Divine Park, from the family of Gr. I stakes-winner Cash Included.

    Oliver St. Lawrence Bloodstock paid $475,000 for Hip No. 575, a son of Into Mischief consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent. The bay colt, who worked an eighth on Wednesday in :10 1/5, is out of Gr. I stakes-winning millionaire Iotapa, by Afleet Alex.

    Hip No. 576, a daughter of More Than Ready consigned by Niall Brennan Stables, Agent, went to Ace Racing for $475,000. The bay filly, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat, is out of Ireland’s Call, by Medaglia d’Oro, a daughter of Gr. I stakes-winner Magnificent Song.

    For the day, 178 horses brought $25,855,000, compared with 196 selling for $21,614,500 at last year’s second session. The average price was $145,253, up 31.8% compared to $110,278 in 2021 while the median price was $78,500, compared with $45,000 a year ago. The buyback percentage was 18.7%; it was 11.7% last year.

    HALLANDALE BEACH - Three-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. is scheduled to make an Easter Sunday visit to Gulfstream Park, where he is named on five horses on the 10-race program.

    Ortiz is named to ride Rohan Crichton-trained Forest Survivor, 5-2 in the morning line in a 5 ½-furlong optional claiming starter allowance on Tapeta in Race 2; Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Ticket to Heaven, rated at 9-2 in a mile $35,000 maiden claimer for 3-year-old fillies on turf in Race 5; Todd Pletcher-trained In the Union, rated second at 5-2 in a mile optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds on turf in Race 6; Daniel Pita-trained Famous Gent, rated at 4-1 in a 5 ½-furlong allowance for state-bred on Tapeta in Race 9; and Joseph-trained Ken Loves Kitten, a first-time starter rated at 7-2 in a mile maiden claiming race on turf in Race 10.

    The 29-year-old superstar entered today’s program at Keeneland with 97 wins in 2022, one behind Luis Saez’s leading total of 98. He has a clear lead in purses won with more than $7 million.

    Ortiz, who had captured three-straight Championship Meet titles before finishing second behind Saez at the recently-concluded Gulfstream winter meet, edged Saez in the purses-won standings, $5.05 million to $4.99 million, after riding Life Is Good to victory in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational.

Rainbow 6 Jackpot Hit 

    The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool was hit for a $220,289 payoff today. The multi-race wager had gone unsolved for six days. A single ticket with the winning combination of 2-2-9-2-11-5 was sold.

.   The Rainbow 6 will start anew on Sunday, when the six-racing sequence will span Races 5-10, featuring a mile optional claiming allowance on turf in Race 6 and a 5 ½-furlong allowance for Florida-breds on Tapeta in Race 9.  Danny Gargan-trained Riot House, who came off a nine-month layoff to break his maiden March 12, is rated at the 2-1 in the morning line in Race 6, in which Todd Pletcher-trainee In the Union is scheduled to slated to make his turf debut. Owner/trainer Louis Roussel III sends out Heals the Soul, his first starter of the Spring/Summer Meet, in Race 9. The 4-year-old son of Maclean’s Music recently came off a five-month layoff to win a five-furlong turf sprint at Fair Grounds last time out. Eddie Plesa Jr.-trained Nerve is set to make his first start since finishing second in the Hollywood Beach at five furlongs on turf last September.

    Hip No. 1004, a son of Girvin consigned by Coastal Equine LLC (Jesse Hoppel), Agent, worked a quarter in :20 3/5 to post the fastest work at the distance at the sixth session of the Under Tack Show for the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2022 Spring Sale of Two Year Olds in Training. The bay colt is a half-brother to stakes-winning OBS graduate Tiger Blood out of two-time OBS graduate Sarah Cataldo, by Smarty Jones.

Five horses shared honors for the session’s fastest eighth, clocked in :9 4/5.

    Hip No. 901, consigned by Kings Equine, Agent, is a dark bay or brown filly by Candy Ride (ARG) out of graded stakes-placed Poof Too, by Distorted Humor.

    Hip No. 939, a chestnut filly by Jimmy Creed consigned by Grassroots Training & Sales LLC, Agent, is out of stakes-winner Quite a Ruckus, by Richter Scale, a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Excaper.

    Hip No. 1006, consigned by McKathan Bros. Sales, Agent, is a dark bay or brown colt by Honor Code out of Saranda, by Smart Strike, from the family of graded stakes-placed stakes-winner Pink Poppy.

    Hip No. 1017, a bay filly by Bolt d’Oro consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, is out of graded stakes-placed stakes-winner Scorpio Queen (AUS), by Choisir, from the family of Gr. I stakes-winner Toledo.

    Hip No. 1048, consigned by Top Line Sales, Agent, is a chestnut filly by Midshipman out of stakes-placed Sheza Runaway Star, by Pride of Burkaan, a half-sister to millionaire stakes-winning OBS graduate Rivers Run Deep.

Four youngsters turned in quarters in :20 4/5.

    Hip No. 885, a gray or roan colt by Tapit consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, is a half-brother to graded stakes-winner Annual Report out of Pension, by Seeking the Gold.

    Hip No. 922, consigned by McKathan Bros. Sales, Agent, is a dark bay or brown colt by Shackleford out of Queenameina, by Read the Footnotes, a daughter of graded stakes-winner Bella Madame (CHI).

    Hip No. 1002, a chestnut filly by Army Mule consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, is out of stakes-placed Saoirse Cat, by Storm Cat, a daughter of champion Saoirse.

    Hip No. 1054, a dark bay or brown filly consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, is out of Shysheisnot, by Tribal Rule, a half-sister to stakes-winner Mongolian Shopper.

There were four quarters clocked in :21 flat.

    Hip No. 887, a bay colt by Munnings consigned by Woodford Thoroughbreds, Agent, is a full brother to stakes-placed Key Light out of stakes-winner Perfectly Candid, by Pleasantly Perfect.

    Hip No. 894, consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, is a chestnut colt by Gormley out of Pleasant Harbor, by Rockport Harbor, a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Boston Bull.

    Hip No. 954, a chestnut filly by Bee Jersey consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, is out of Ready for Gold, by More Than Ready, from the family of champion Perfect Soul (IRE).

    Hip No. 992, consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, is a dark bay or brown filly by Speightstown out of Runninwiththewind, by Medaglia d’Oro, from the family of Gr. I stakes-winner Jersey Girl.

    Colts by Tapwrit and Mor Spirit breezed quarters in :20 3/5 to post the fastest works at the distance at the third session of the Under Tack Show for Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2022 Spring Sale of Two Year Olds in Training.

    Hip No. 384, a gray or roan colt by Tapwrit consigned by Blue River Bloodstock, Agent, is out of Dulce Arabe (CHI), by Speightstown, from the family of Gr. I winner Fontanella Borghese (CHI).

    Hip No. 410, a dark bay or brown colt by Mor Spirit consigned by Top Line Sales, Agent, is out of Midnight Chocolate, by Midnight Lute, a daughter of stakes-winner Unbridled Danz.

A pair of youngsters shared honors for the session’s fastest eighth, stopping the timer in :9 4/5.

    Hip No. 441, a chestnut filly by Army Mule consigned by Top Line Sales, Agent, is out of First Fed Biz, by Fed Biz, a half-sister to stakes-winning OBS Spring graduate Haengbok Wangja.

    Hip No. 461, consigned by Top Line Sales, Agent, is a bay filly by Accelerate out of Full Moon Frolic, by Vindication, a daughter of graded stakes-placed stakes-winner Frolicing.

A pair of horses worked quarters in :20 4/5.

    Hip No. 423, a chestnut filly by Will Take Charge consigned by Ocala Stud, is a half-sister to graded stakes-placed Courteous out of Famous, by Vindication.

    Hip No. 498, consigned by Tom McCrocklin, Agent, is a bay filly by Classic Empire out of stakes-winner Greed and Fear, by Bob and John, from the family of Gr. I stakes-winner For Certain Doc.

    OLDSMAR - When she arrived at Tampa Bay Downs before the current meet, apprentice jockey Madeline Rowland hoped to ride a few winners while picking up lessons she needed to advance her career. Where she was going to find the time to accomplish those goals, she wasn’t quite sure.

    “When I came here, I thought I was going to have to find a salaried job, because I didn’t know what I was doing in a race,” Rowland, 18, said. “I kind of knew, but I didn’t have a lot of experience. Everybody was saying ‘You’re a girl and you’re an apprentice, and you’re not going to do good in Tampa.’ ”

    It was a nice story when Rowland gained her first victory in her first start at Tampa Bay Downs (and ninth overall) on Dec. 10 aboard 4-year-old gelding Sancocho for owner-trainer Juan Arriagada. It got better on Jan. 28 when she scored her fifth victory on Arriagada’s 5-year-old Ride Em, a milestone that reduced Rowland’s apprentice weight allowance for a race from 10 to 7 pounds.

    A couple of weeks after that, the floodgates opened. Since Feb. 13, Rowland has ridden 15 winners, punctuating that run of success with the first three-victory day of her career on Wednesday. The impressive display earned her the Salt Rock Tavern Jockey of the Month Award. She had earlier earned the first 'Track Times Today' award. 

    “I’m delighted with how it’s turning out,” Rowland said, a couple of hours before notching her 20th victory on 4-year-old gelding Lemon Creek Louie in Wednesday’s ninth race for owner-trainer Mike Dini. “Two weeks ago, I was thinking it would be amazing if I could finish the meet with 20 wins.”

    Don’t get the idea Rowland is short on confidence. She acknowledges entertaining visions of being a star in the sport one day, capable of competing against top riders in some of the biggest races. All that will take time, of course – something she has plenty of, now that she doesn’t have to work a side job.

    Rowland keeps a journal in which she tracks her accomplishments and her plans to keep improving. She realizes 20 victories, even as a teenager, is a drop in a very large bucket compared to most of her rivals. And, truth be told, there is not a single aspect of her game that doesn’t need work, save for her natural enthusiasm that effervesces each time she wins.

    “I journal about what I want to accomplish every week and about my career goals and my life goals,” said Rowland, the daughter of the late steeplechase-racing trainer Paul Rowland and Jodi Rowland, a Registered Nurse Case Manager who lives in Landenberg, Pa. “I journal about some things I’m proud of, things that I can be even prouder of eventually if I keep working.

    “I’m always thinking of how I can be better, in this sport and as a person. As a jockey, how I look, my decision-making in a race, getting stronger. I want my career to last and I want it to be the best it can be.”

    Fellow jockey Skyler Spanabel, her roommate, says Rowland is advanced beyond other riders with her relative lack of experience in her ability to strategize a race and carry her plan through. “She’s smart. She’s really smart,” Spanabel said. “A lot of apprentices don’t take the time to think in a race. They come out of the gate looking good, but they don’t really know where to position a horse to get its best run or how to think the race through. She is kind of the opposite, which is the best way to do it. You want to be smart first, and everything else can fall into place later.”

    Case in point: Wednesday’s second race, a 5 ½-furlong, $16,000 claiming race for fillies and mares who had never won three races. The distance suggested that Rowland’s mount, the speedy 5-year-old mare Jara, would be best used by breaking on top and daring the other five horses to catch her.

    Instead, Rowland let the race come to her, sensing quickly that the opening fractions set by duelers Lady Noy and Pretty Princess of :21.86 for the first quarter-mile and :45.52 for the half were too fast to sustain. Approaching the turn, Rowland sent Jara zooming up the rail, and they were 7 ¾ lengths clear of runner-up Lady Noy at the wire.

    Rowland says several Oldsmar jockeys have been eager to mentor her, foremost among them Spanabel, Hector Rafael Diaz Jr., and Jose Ferrer, the 2018 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award winner. All might be fans under other circumstances, rooting for a young woman with dreams as big as Secretariat’s heart.

    With Maddie, what you see is what you get. She works hard and practices skills and techniques to get better, but nothing is staged.

    “The first thing I can say about her is that she is willing to listen and learn. She is willing to listen to everybody,” said multiple graded stakes-winning jockey Diaz. “And she pays a lot of attention when she is not riding. I know that what I tell her she puts into practice, because I see it happen. She has a long way ahead, of course, and the pounds (the apprentice weight allowance) are helping her. But the more she rides, the more she is going to learn and improve. And horses run for her. That’s partly the hands – I think most of the women jockeys, they aren’t trying to manhandle a horse, and they are able to work together because the horse is comfortable.

    “Plus, she has been around horses her whole life, and she loves her job. You can see how happy she is when she’s atop a horse.”

    So, Rowland – who finished fifth in Saturday’s third race on a horse named And the Oscar Goes – would like to thank Skyler, and Hector and Mr. Ferrer, and the horsemen and fans for helping her win the Salt Rock Tavern Jockey of the Month award. And, oh yeah, Mom too.

    “She’s the one I don’t think I’ve given enough credit to, because she has completely been there for me and my brother (Hayden, 15),” Rowland said. “I would not be here if she had not given me the constructive criticism, the love and support and everything you want from a mother, times 10.”

    C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa Stable’s White Abarrio relaxed just off the pace in the early going of the Gr. I, $1,000,000 Florida Derby at Gulfstream, rallied on the turn to reach contention in the stretch, took command a furlong out and held off a late run to score by a length and a quarter.

    It’s the second straight graded stakes victory for the 3-year-old colt, a two-time OBS graduate. The son of Race Day was sold by Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck), Agent, at the 2020 Winter Mixed Sale and then purchased for $40,000 out of the Nice and Easy Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2021 March Sale after turning in an Under Tack eighth in :10 2/5. Now 5-4-0-1 for trainer Saffie A. Joseph Jr., he has now earned $823,650.

    HALLANDALE BEACH - Miguel Vasquez, perhaps the most under-rated rider in North America, notched three victories in consecutive races at Gulfstream Park Thursday, putting the finishing touches on another rock-solid Championship Meet.

    The under-the-radar jockey, who rides year-round at Gulfstream, ran his Championship Meet total to 45 wins while scoring aboard Starship Nugget ($4.60) in Race 4, Amani’s Eagle ($15.60) in Race 5, and Protonic Power ($7.20) in Race 6. Vasquez ranks seventh in wins. The 27-year-old jockey, who ventured from Panama to South Florida in 2014, ranked eighth last season with 46 victories.

    Vasquez inched closer to the 1,000 victory milestone while pushing his U. S. total to 975 with Thursday’s effort.

Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $650,000

    The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $650,000 today after going unsolved for the 11th day since it was hit for a $342,836 payoff.

    Today’s sequence will span Races 4-9, including a highly competitive featured optional claiming allowance in Race 8, a five-furlong turf dash for older horses. Trainer Christophe Clement’s Shekky Shebaz will seek a long overdue victory after a pair of close-up finishes during the Championship Meet. Mark Casse-trained Jack and Noah, a multiple stakes-winner who is rated at 2-1 in the morning line, will return from an eight-month layoff. Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Chasing Artie, who has won two stakes in his last three starts, will also return from a long layoff since winning the My Frenchman at Monmouth July 11.

Who’s Hot: Trainer Fausto Gutierrez saddled Amani’s Eagle ($15.60) and Protonic Power ($7.20) for back-to-back victories in Races 5-6. Leading rider Luis Saez doubled aboard Hard to Capture ($17.40) in Race 2 and Brasstown ($5.80) in Race 7. Irad Ortiz Jr. also rode a pair of winners, scoring aboard Dem a Wonder ($4.80) in Race 3 and Winter Princess ($5.60) in Race 8.

    OLDSMAR - Bright sunshine, temperatures in the mid-70s and light-to-moderate breezes greeted horsemen, horsewomen and their charges to the 19th annual Florida Cup, a collection of six $110,000 stakes races for registered Florida-breds at Tampa Bay Downs.

    While Treasure King (Equistaff Sophomore Turf) and Shifty She (Pleasant Acres Stallions Distaff Turf) lived up to their status as betting favorites, the other races produced longer shots of varying degrees in one of the most wide-open Florida Cup cards in the event’s history.

Here is a race-by-race recap of today’s action.

 $110,000 OCALA BREEDERS’ SALES SOPHOMORE

      The connections of King Cab didn’t think it would be this easy. Not with such proven entities in the field as stakes-winners Cattin and Lightening Larry and Gr. III-placed Dean Delivers.

    But after breaking on top from the gate and getting King Cab to relax, jockey Emisael Jaramillo had no worries to the finish line. The Edward Plesa Jr.-trained gelding kept striding out to the wire, winning by 4 ¾ lengths from Lightening Larry in 1:22.25 for the seven furlongs, .12 seconds off the stakes record. It was King Cab’s first stakes triumph.

    “This horse is very, very fast,” said Jaramillo, who rode him for the first time. “Six furlongs, seven, he’s very strong. When I got to the 3/8-mile pole, I knew it was over. He’s so easy to ride.”

    King Cab was bred in partnership by Ocala Stud, veterinarian Edward Wiest and former jockey William J. Terrill and is owned by David Melin, Leon Ellman and Laurie Plesa, the trainer’s wife. The victory is the seventh in Florida Cup competition for Plesa, second all-time, and his record fourth in the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Sophomore.

    King Cab paid $9.60 to win as the third wagering choice in the six-horse field after improving to 3-for-5. Cattin, who won the Inaugural Stakes here on Dec. 4, finished third, a half-length behind Lightening Larry.

    “He’s an exceptionally talented horse who does things his way,” trainer Plesa said of the winner. “We tried him a distance of ground last time just to see if we could kind of get him to rate a little bit. That didn’t work, so I’m not going to do anything to mess him up. I’m just going to let him do what he likes to do.

    “He didn’t switch leads down the lane, but it didn’t hinder him. In the mornings he does, but in the afternoons. … two races ago he did switch leads, but very late. Does it make any difference? Not all horses switch leads. That’s the only critique I can say about him. But when he wins like that, it doesn’t make any difference.”

  The winner’s share of $70,000 raised King Cab’s career earnings to $141,940. 

 $110,000 EQUISTAFF SOPHOMORE TURF

      Maturity. That is one of the trademarks of 3-year-old colt Treasure King, who wore down pace-setter Tapthespeedofsound in late stretch under Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano for a ¾-length victory in only his second career start.

    Treasure King, now 2-for-2, posted a time for the mile-and-a-sixteenth on the firm turf course of 1:42.19, less than a second off the stakes record. He paid $4.40 to win as the heavy favorite. Merlin finished third.

    Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher conditions Treasure King.

    “I really like this horse,” Castellano said. “He’s by a Galileo horse (Treasure Beach), so I thought he would like the turf. Everything he did, he did the right way. I had a lot of confidence to win the race.”

    Maybe so, but Live Oak Plantation homebred Tapthespeedofsound was dogged in defeat, putting forth a solid effort throughout under jockey Edwin Gonzalez.

    Treasure King was bred by Patricia Generazio and is owned by Mathis Stable. The colt is out of Wave of Glory, by Midshipman.

    Mark Casse was pleased with runner-up Tapthespeedofsound’s performance. The colt is a Live Oak Plantation homebred by Tapit out of Onepointhreekarats.

    “He ran well, and then Todd’s horse came and beat us at the end,” Casse said. “Our horse fought back. This was only his third start, and we hope he has a big future.”

    But it was Treasure King who delivered best on pre-race expectations. “He showed good promise at Gulfstream, and he impressed us today,” said Pletcher assistant Sophie Green. “He looked like a horse with promise in his maiden win, so we were quite hopeful.”

$110,000 STONEHEDGE FARM SOUTH SOPHOMORE FILLIES

    Midnight Stroll’s maiden victory on Feb. 26 at Tampa Bay Downs stamped her as a filly with plenty of promise. Her potential seems even greater after her gate-to-wire victory in the Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies under jockey Pablo Morales.

    Never threatened at any point of the 7-furlong race, Midnight Stroll posted a 3 ¼-length victory over Rapturous, with betting favorite Outfoxed finishing a distant third. The winner paid $16.80 after completing the distance in 1:23.12, .37 seconds off the stakes record.

    A daughter of Not This Time out of Midnight Magic, by Midnight Lute, Midnight Stroll was bred by Dr. Carolin Von Rosenberg DVM and is owned by Gatsas Stables, R. A. Hill Stable and Steven Schoenfeld. John P. Terranova, II is the winning trainer.

    Midnight Stroll improved to 2-for-4 with the victory.

    “We got her started (last summer) at Saratoga and it took a while to get her going,” Terranova said. “So we kind of regrouped and brought her down here and stretched her out (to a mile-and-40-yards) to break her maiden. We had this race in mind even before then. She has shown a lot of quality and we really like her. Pablo knows her well. He’s been breezing her in the mornings and I told him if she breaks well, go on with it.”

    Morales sees an excellent future for Midnight Stroll. “She does it so effortlessly – every time I’ve been on her, since this meet started, she has shown so much class,” he said. “We loved her the day of her maiden win, but after that she got even better. She came in real sharp today and when the gate opened, she was gone. She is a very classy horse.” 

$110,000 GREY GOOSE TURF CLASSIC

    When 5-year-old gelding Drama Chorus broke on top and was able to dictate the fractions in the mile-and-an-eighth race, his connections realized it was a dream scenario.

    The 11-1 shot had enough left through the stretch to hold off a determined rally from Max K. O. by a neck, earning Drama Chorus his first career stakes victory. Lure Him In finished third and the heavy favorite, Shamrocket, was a non-threatening fourth.

    “It’s great. Walk the dog early, then he outran some good horses,” said winning trainer Tim Padilla. “It was perfect. He finished strong and he battled back when (Max K. O.) came to him.”

    Drama Chorus, now 5-for-21 with five seconds, is a homebred racing for breeder-owner Peter D. Mattson. He is a son of Big Drama out of Missmollybygolly, by Scat Daddy. Padilla’s go-to rider, Alonso Quinonez, was aboard, and the jockey’s winning smile afterward was probably there at several points of the race as the others waited to make their moves, only to succumb to the distance and the determination of the winner.

    Drama Chorus paid $25 to win. His time was 1:48.58.

    “The way he ran last time (second to Chez Pierre in a 1-mile turf allowance here on March 9), I think he got beat by a very nice horse,” Quinonez said. “I was just hoping for a nice clean break, and when (Freedom Matters) didn’t break as well as I thought he might, the rest was history. The fractions were perfect and I had a lot of horse turning for home.”

    Quinonez was confident Drama Chorus could hold off Max K. O.’s charge from the outside. “He (Max K. O.) had to work to get to where I was, and I hadn’t moved yet,” he said.

$110,000 PLEASANT ACRES STALLIONS DISTAFF TURF

    With almost 1,600 career victories, former Tampa Bay Downs jockey Edwin Gonzalez is putting together an excellent career.

    And with a few more horses to ride such as 6-year-old mare Shifty She, it probably won’t be long before Gonzalez’s reputation takes off like the winner of the Pleasant Acres Stallions Distaff Turf did through the stretch.

    The lightly-raced daughter of Gone Astray-Perilous Hope, by Strong Hope, improved to 7-for-13, easily turning back a stretch bid from runner-up Our Flash Drive and third-place finisher Mona Stella. Bettors caught on beforehand, reducing Shifty She’s odds to 3-5 at post time. Shifty She finished the mile-and-a-sixteenth on the grass in 1:41.43, about a second off the stakes record. She is trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr. In an odd twist, Gone Astray stands at Pleasant Acres Stallions. 

    Chris Pallas bred Shifty She in partnership with George Klein. Pallas and Harvey Rothenberg are co-owners under their Pedigree Partners, LLC banner.

    The victory was the fourth in stakes company for Shifty She, who won the Gr. III Noble Damsel Stakes last fall at Belmont under Gonzalez and finished second and third in a pair of Gr. III events at Gulfstream Park with Gonzalez aboard before coming to Oldsmar.

    “She is a very nice (mare). She always breaks running, and when she breaks I let her do what she wants to be comfortable,” Gonzalez said. “I don’t want to be fighting her because I know wherever I put her, she is going to give me her best.”

    Gonzalez and Shifty She controlled the pace throughout, and when he asked her to guarantee the victory in the stretch, she responded.

    "She won wire-to-wire and was in front the whole way, so it was a nice performance,” Joseph said. “Before the owners sent her to us she had an issue and they gave her the time off she needed. It was almost two years. She came to us a good filly, and since she's been with us we've just tried to do as good of a job as the previous trainer. She's just class.”

    Joseph said he hopes to try Shifty She, a career earner of $453,495, in Gr. I company, perhaps in the Gr. I Longines Just a Game on June 11 at Belmont. “That was the idea, to run in this race and hopefully, cut her back to the one-turn mile and see if we can get a Gr. 1 placing in her and hopefully, win a Grade 1 with her,” the conditioner said.

$110,000 NYRABETS SPRINT

    Co-owner and trainer Elizabeth L. Dobles claimed Pudding last July for $25,000 from an allowance/optional claiming victory at Gulfstream Park. So it was hard to express her pride in the 7-year-old gelding after his thrilling victory from last year’s NYRABETS Sprint winner Tap It to Win in today’s Florida Cup finale.

    “He’s a dream to train. He’s one of my favorites,” Dobles said after Pudding won his first career stakes under jockey Javier Castellano. “I guess almost every horse I train turns out to be one of my favorites, but he is definitely one of my heart horses.”

    Pudding sped the 6-furlong distance in 1:09.01, only .34 seconds off It’s Me Mom’s stakes and track record. Cajun Casanova finished third in the six-horse field. Pudding paid $9.60 to win as the third choice in the wagering.

    A son of Two Step Salsa out of Jozi’s Turn, by Johannesburg, Pudding is owned by Dobles in partnership with John Guarnere’s Imaginary Stables. He was bred by JSL Thoroughbreds. He improved to 9-for-33 with the victory, with career earnings of $323,840.

    Three horses were scratched from the race, and the defection of Gatsby gave Castellano an opportunity to change strategy and put Pudding on the lead early. “Thank God, Elizabeth gave me the green light to make my own decision. Sometimes it doesn’t work and sometimes it does, but it did this time. This horse never gives up.”

    Indeed, 5-year-old Tap It to Win appeared to stick his head in front in deep stretch, but his older rival fought back gamely to send his backers into tapioca heaven.

    HALLANDALE BEACH - West Paces Racing, Flying P Stable and Peter J. Callahan’s Missy Greer, a half-sister to Gronkowski, graduated in style today at Gulfstream Park, scoring a front-running 5 ¼-length victory in Race 5.

    The Danny Gargan trainee graduated in her fourth start. After racing twice on turf, the daughter of Nyquist-Four Sugars finished a late-fading third on a muddy track Feb. 13. Gronkowski finished second in the 2018 Belmont and second in the 2019 Dubai World Cup.

    Missy Greer ($3.60) ran a mile in 1:37.63 while always being in full control under Luis Saez.

    “Her first two races were on turf and she got a little tired in her last race – it was a fast pace that day. We always thought she was going to improve,” Saez said. “Today, she ran a big race.”

    Missy Greer is the 115th winner of the 2021-2022 Championship Meet for Saez, giving him a 36-win lead over Tyler Gaffalione in his quest to win his third Gulfstream Park title.

  “I’m very blessed,” Saez said. “I have to thank all the people, the owners and trainers and my agent [Kiaran McLaughlin].” Saez had won more than 100 races twice while winning back-to-back Championship Meet titles in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018.

Saez was scheduled to leave for Dubai tonight and will ride four horses on Saturday’s Dubai World Cup program. Although he doesn’t have a mount in the $12 million, Gr. I Dubai World Cup, which he won last year aboard Mystic Guide, he will ride Casa Creed in the Gr. I Dubai Turf , Wondrwherecraigis in the Gr. I Golden Shaheen, Gilded Age in the Gr. II UAE Derby, and Snapper Sinclair in the Gr. II Godolphin Mile.

    Irad Ortiz Jr., who is the defending three-time Championship Meet titlist, and Jose Ortiz were also scheduled to venture to Dubai tonight. Irad is scheduled to ride Pegasus World Cup Invitational champion Life is Good in the Dubai World Cup, in which brother Jose is slated to ride Bourbon War.

Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed

    The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $350,000 Thursday after going unsolved for the sixth day in a row since the jackpot was hit for a $342,836 payoff.

Who’s Hot: Irad Ortiz Jr. and his brother both enjoyed multi-win days to day before heading off to Dubai. Irad tripled aboard No Man Left Behind ($12) in Race 1, Dominate Themoment ($9) in Race 6, and Chica Boom ($4.40) in Race 8. Jose doubled aboard Queen Calypso ($4.80) in Race 2 and Cagua ($8) in Race 4.