OLDSMAR - Thoroughbred racing returns to Tampa Bay Downs on Wednesday, Nov. 27 with the opening-day card of the 2019-2020 meeting. Admission is free. The track is celebrating its 94th anniversary season with a boatload of activities and promotions planned throughout the 90-day meeting to enhance the equine energy. Oldsmar oval visitors will notice a new face picking the races and providing handicapping information: TVG analyst Matt Carothers, a lifelong fan and racing follower.
Carothers, TVG’s first on-the-air handicapper in 1999, will present his selections over the Tampa Bay Downs closed-circuit telecast each racing day. Before joining TVG, he worked for three years as the on-track handicapper and TV host at Canterbury Park in Minnesota; at Monmouth Park and the Meadowlands in New Jersey; and for New York City OTB, partnering with track announcer Dave Johnson.
Carothers says he looks for natural speed and value for his buck when handicapping and wagering, and he is eager to offer his angles on profiting from the consistently large Tampa Bay Downs fields. Bettors should expect Carothers to pay close attention to the track’s exciting new wager: the Ultimate Pick-6, requiring bettors to select the winners of six consecutive races on a single card. The minimum Ultimate Pick-6 wager is 20 cents. Because of the wager’s carryover jackpot format, the Ultimate Pick-6 could be a life-changer for one or more bettors. For anyone to collect the jackpot on a given day, they must have the only ticket correctly selecting all six winners. Otherwise, 75 percent of the pari-mutuel pool will be split among those bettors selecting the greatest number of first-place finishers, with the remainder added to the carryover jackpot the next day. The Saturday, Nov. 30 program offers fans chances galore to win cash and prizes. In addition to the racing action, the meeting’s first Saturday is “Tampa Bay Sport Day,” with in-the-know fans having an opportunity to win tickets to various professional and college events by correctly answering trivia questions and spinning a prize wheel.
Tickets will be awarded for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Lightning, the Rays, the Outback Bowl, the Gasparilla Bowl, USF men’s and women’s basketball and the PGA Tour’s Valspar Championship. Nov. 30 also marks the start of the “10 Days of Festivus On-Line Handicapping Contest,” which runs through Dec. 21. There is no charge to enter and the winner receives a $1,000 cash prize, with a second prize of $500. The Festivus contest allows fans and bettors to test their skills against the best Oldsmar oval handicappers from across the nation. Go to www.festivuschallenge.com for rules and to enter. The primary focus throughout the winter and spring, as always, will be on the racetrack, where excitement has been building to a fever pitch the last three weeks during morning workouts. A stakes schedule that gets underway on Dec. 7 with a pair of $100,000, 6-furlong races for 2-year-olds will be highlighted by the March 7 Festival Day program, featuring the 40th edition of the Gr. II, $400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby for 3-year-old Kentucky Derby prospects at a distance of a mile-and-a-sixteenth. The first four finishers in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby earn qualifying points on the “Road to the Kentucky Derby.” Also part of the Festival Day program are a pair of big-money graded races on the turf course: the Gr. II, $225,000 Hillsborough Stakes for older fillies and mares and the Gr. III, $200,000 Florida Oaks for 3-year-old fillies. The track’s three other graded stakes will be contested on Festival Preview Day Presented by Lambholm South, Feb. 8: the Gr. III, $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes for 3-year-olds, the Gr. III, $175,000 Tampa Bay Stakes for older horses on the turf and the Gr. III, $175,000 Lambholm South Endeavour Stakes for older fillies and mares on the turf. The Sam F. Davis awards points on the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” to the first four finishers, while that day’s $150,000 Suncoast Stakes for 3-year-old fillies awards points on the “Road to the Kentucky Oaks” to the first four finishers. Florida Cup Day is March 29, with six stakes on both dirt and turf offering $110,000 apiece to the owners of registered Florida-bred horses. Almost all of the track’s top trainers and jockeys have returned. Heading a powerful training contingent are Gerald Bennett, who has won the last four conditioner titles and five overall; last year’s runner-up, two-time track champion Kathleen O’Connell; third-place finisher Michael Stidham, who is two shy of 2,000 career victories; and 2019 Breeders’ Cup-winning trainers Ignacio Correas IV and H. Graham Motion. Leading jockeys set to compete include defending champion Samy Camacho; four-time kingpin Antonio Gallardo; six-time champion Daniel Centeno; and Pablo Morales. Tampa Bay Downs races on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with Sundays added to the mix on Dec. 22. There is no racing on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, and Easter, April 12. A special Thursday card will be offered on Dec. 26. The track is open every day except Thanksgiving (Nov. 28), Christmas and Easter for simulcast wagering, no-limits poker action and tournament play in The Silks Poker Room and golf fun and instruction at The Downs Golf Practice Facility.
MIAMI GARDENS - The 20-cent Rainbow 6 went unsolved for the 35th consecutive day Sunday at Gulfstream Park West, and the carryover jackpot jumped to $909,175 for the return of live racing on Wednesday. First-race post time is 1:20 p.m. A total of $196,968 was wagered into the Rainbow 6 Sunday, on top of a carryover of $861,911 from Saturday’s program. Multiple tickets with all six winners each returned $1,003.66. No single bettor has solved the multi-race wager during the Fall Turf Festival meet, which began Oct. 2 and runs through Sunday. The Rainbow 6 was last taken down for a $2.2 jackpot payoff Sept. 27 at Gulfstream Park. Wednesday’s Rainbow 6 spans Races 3-8. The sequence includes the return in Race 7 of Bodexpress, fresh off his maiden triumph last month,in a $45,000 allowance for 3-year-olds and up going one mile on the main track.
NOTES: Jockey Jairo Rendon rode three winners Sunday, including back-to-back scores on Lavi ($94.60) in Race 2 and Shyza ($8.60) in Race 3. Rendon completed his triple aboard Victor Lounge ($5.80) in Race 7.
MIAMI GARDENS - No single bettor solved the 20-cent Rainbow 6 for the 31st consecutive racing day Wednesday at Gulfstream Park West, with the carryover jackpot rising to $768,774 for today’s eight-race card. First race post time is 1:20 p.m. Multiple tickets with all six winners Wednesday were each worth $4,250 Today’s Rainbow 6 covers Races 3-8 highlighted by a $39,000 optional claimer going a mile on the turf in Race 6 which attracted a field of nine Florida-breds led by 9-5 program favorite Mozzo Bello. Horses Arriving Wednesday from Mexico for Clasico del Caribe Three contenders for the $300,000 Clasico del Caribe were among 14 horses arriving from Mexico Wednesday to compete in the Clasico Internacional del Caribe Sunday, Dec. 8 at Gulfstream Park. El Santo, Lopecitos and Thibaut are all expected to run in the 1 1/8-mile Clasico del Caribe for 3-year-olds, the richest of five stakes worth $690,000 in purses on the Clasico Internacional del Caribe program.
This will be the third consecutive year that Gulfstream has served as host for the Clasico Internacional del Caribe, remaining the only pari-mutuel facility outside Latin America and the Caribbean to host the event since its inception in 1966. Notes: Jockeys Paco Lopez and Jairo Rendon alternated winning Wednesday’s first four races. Lopez took Race 1 with Frank’s Legacy ($2.80) and Race 3 on Babie Monster ($16.60) while Rendon was first on Itsmyluckyknight ($6) in Race 2 and Captain Ron ($6) in Race 4.
It's been almost a year since Brent and Crystal Fernung announced an intriguing deal concerning their soon-to-be freshman sire, Khozan. It was a simple premise - if the son of Distorted Humor didn't wind up 2019 as Florida's leading sire, the first 25 breeders who sent a mare to him would receive free breedings.
With an announced stud fee of $4,000 for this year, that would have amounted to a $100,000 hit for the Fernungs' Journeyman Stud.
With about a month and a half remaining in the season, it would take a miracle for runner-up The Big Beast to catch Khozan in the money-earnings department. Khozan is on top today with his runners collecting $1,037,820, and TBB is well behind at $564,471.
However, in the winners department, TBB had a winner at Gulfstream West yesterday - Quality On Tap - who became his sire's 13th winner, and he's now just one behind. Khozan has also been the leader on that list since day one, and he's sitting at 14 today. But even if TBB caught Khozan before Dec. 31, the money-earnings list will rule.
The third and fourth sires on the frosh list with six winners each are Double Diamond's Bahamian Squall and Journeyman's second-stringer, Fury Kapcori.
William and Corrine Heiligbrodt’s Mitole made an emphatic case for one or more Eclipse Awards with a sharp score in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint yesterday.
Cleverly rated off the early pace by Ricardo Santana Jr., he went after front-running fellow OBS graduate Shancelot (March ’18) in the stretch, caught him a furlong from home and beat him to the wire by a length and a quarter. OBS graduate Engage (March ’17) settled for fourth.
Mitole was consigned to the 2017 April Sale by Grassroots Training & Sales. The 4-year-old colt by Eskendereya was sold for $140,000 after an under tack eighth in :10 seconds flat. Trained by Steve Asmussen, his seventh stakes victory leaves him with a sensational career record of 14-10-2-2 with earnings of $3,104,910.
MIAMI GARDENS – The Rainbow 6 went unsolved for the 12th consecutive racing day at Gulfstream Park West Thursday, producing a $150,928 carryover jackpot for today’s program. Tickets with six winners were each worth $2,927.96. The Rainbow 6 was solved at Gulfstream Park for a $2.2 million jackpot Sept. 27 after going unsolved for 47 consecutive racing days.
Double Late Pick 5 Carryover Sparks $1.25 Million in Betting A double carryover for the 50-cent Late Pick 5 of $163,572 sparked $1,253,056 in new betting on Thursday’s sequence that spanned Races 4-8. No tickets with all five winners were purchased on Sunday or Monday, creating a strong incentive for value-seeking bettors. Tickets with all five winners Thursday were each worth $1,109.80.
MIAMI GARDENS - The 20-cent Rainbow 6 went unsolved for the 10th racing day in a row at Gulfstream Park West today, producing a carryover jackpot of $110,111 for Monday’s Columbus Day program. Multiple tickets with five of six winners were each worth $12,869.
The Rainbow 6 was solved at Gulfstream Park for a $2.2 million jackpot on Sept. 27 after going unsolved for 47 consecutive racing days. There will also be a Late Pick 5 carryover of $31,618, as well as a Super Hi-5 carryover of $7,327 for Monday’s card that will get underway at 1 p.m.
Hip No. 224, a son of Liam’s Map consigned by Select Sales, Agent, went to de Meric Stables, Agent, for $230,000 to top the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2019 Selected Sale of Yearlings. The gray or roan colt is out of Dad’ssilverpitcher, by Giant’s Causeway, a half-sister to stakes-winner Melodic.
Hip No. 185, a son of Empire Maker consigned by Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck), Agent, was also sold to de Meric Stables, Agent, for $190,000. The bay colt is out of Sweetest Sound, by Smart Strike, a full sister to graded stakes-placed Saint Vigeur from the family of champion Sweet Catomine. Hip No. 103, a chestnut colt by Palace Malice consigned by The Acorn LLC, Agent, was sold to Golden Star Farm for $170,000. He’s out of stakes-placed Like a Queen, by Corinthian. Hip No. 223, a daughter of Into Mischief consigned by Select Sales, Agent, was purchased by Blue Collar Stable for $140,000. The gray or roan filly is out of Unbridled Quest, by Unbridled’s Song, a half-sister to grade one stakes-placed Aripeka. Insignia Bloodstock went to $125,000 for Hip No. 105, a son of Nyquist consigned by Select Sales, Agent. The bay colt is out of graded stakes-placed stakes-winner Little Ms Protocol, by El Corredor. Hip No. 92, a Bernardini filly consigned by Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck), Agent, was purchased for $120,000 by Patrice Miller, EQB, Inc., Agent. The bay filly is out of J. Quirk, by Unbridled’s Song, from the family of champion and major sire Tiznow. Insignia Bloodstock paid $110,000 for Hip No. 188, a bay colt by Runhappy consigned by Stuart Morris, Agent for Highclere. He’s a half-brother to stakes-placed Moms Choice out of Tazarine, by Cat Thief. Hip No. 175, a daughter of Liam’s Map consigned by Sequel New York, Agent, was purchased by Patrice Miller, EQB, Inc., Agent, for $105,000. The gray or roan filly, a half-sister to stakes-placed Salute With Honor, is out of stakes-winner Snow Cone, by Cryptoclearance. For the day, 121 horses sold for a total of $5,605,200, compared with 138 yearlings bringing $5,658,000 at the 2018 Selected Sale. The average price was $46,324, up 13% compared with $41,000 last year, while the median price was $35,000, a 25% increase compared with $28,000 in 2018. The buyback percentage was 34.9%; it was 24.3% a year ago. Sixteen horses sold for $100,000 or more compared with nine a year ago.
HALLANDALE BEACH - Two days before a mandatory payout has been scheduled, the 20-cent Rainbow 6 was solved for a jackpot payoff of $2,211,783 at Gulfstream Park Friday. The multi-race wager had gone unsolved for 47 consecutive racing days. The winning combination was 5-1-3-9-6-5. A mandatory payout for the Rainbow 6, as well as the Late Pick 5 and last-race Super Hi-5, are still scheduled for Sunday, closing day of the Summer Meet. If no one had hit the Rainbow 6 before Sunday, the pool could have been be as high as $10 million.
The Rainbow 6 was last solved July 6, when one bettor hit for a $173,583 jackpot payoff. The carryover jackpot stood at $1,965,546 at the start of Rainbow 6 wagering Friday, and $307,901 was bet into the pool. The Rainbow 6 will start anew on today’s Florida Sire Stakes program. First race post time for the 14-race program featuring eight stakes worth $1.35 million is set for noon. The 14-race program will be co-headlined by the $400,000 FSS In Reality in Race 13 and the $400,000 FSS My Dear Girl in Race 11. Liam’s Lucky Charm, the $200,000 FSS Affirmed winner, and Chance It, the $100,000 Dr. Fager victor, will clash in the In Reality for 2-year-old colts and geldings. Ceci Valentina, the winner of the $200,000 FSS Susan’s Girl, will seek to double up in the $400,000 FSS My Dear Girl for 2-year-old fillies. Both stakes will be included in the Rainbow 6 (Races 9-14), Late Pick 5 (Races 10-14) and Late Pick 4 (Races 11-14). There will be pool guarantees for the Late Pick-5 ($100,000) and the Late Pick 4 ($150,000).
HALLANDALE BEACH - Stonehedge Farm’s Liam’s Lucky Charm and Shooting Star Thoroughbreds’ Chance It are ready to battle for Florida Sire Stakes supremacy in Saturday’s $400,000 In Reality at Gulfstream Park. The In Reality, the 1 1/16-mile final leg of the lucrative series for 2-year-old colts and geldings sired by nominated stallions standing in Florida, will co-headline Saturday’s program with the $400,000 My Dear Girl for fillies. A total of eight stakes worth $1.325 million in purses will be contested on the 14-race card. There will be a $150,000 guaranteed pool in the Late Pick 4 and a $100,000 guaranteed pool in the Late Pick 5. The Flamingo Room will also play host to the third and final Taste of the Track – Bourbon, Beer & BBQ. Fans can sample hand-selected bourbons, local craft beers and BBQ bites and sliders while watching the races. The event starts at 1 p.m. And finally, closing day Sunday will feature mandatory payouts on the 20-cent Rainbow 6, Late Pick 5 and Super Hi 5. If no one hits the Rainbow 6 through Saturday, the pool could be as high as $10 million Sunday afternoon. Liam’s Lucky Charm, who finished second behind Chance It in the $100,000 FSS Dr. Fager on Aug. 3, turned the tables in the $200,000 FSS Affirmed with a narrow decision over Chance It on Aug. 31. The Stonehedge homebred rated in third behind pacesetting Chance It, who was pressed by Absolute Grit along the backstretch run, before making a three-wide move on the far turn to engage the Dr. Fager winner at the top of the stretch. A memorable stretch duel ensued before Liam’s Lucky Charm edged away to win by a head. “He showed guts and steadiness. He never quit. He maintained his pace and kept running,” said trainer Ralph Nicks, who saddled Soutache for an In Reality victory in 2017. “Chance It is a very, very good horse that I have the utmost respect for. It’s a shame they’re in the same year, probably.” The battle for FSS Supremacy will rage around two turns between a pair of colts who will both enter the In Reality with a lack of experience beyond the seven furlongs of the one-turn Affirmed. “I think two turns is well within his grasp. I think it will be beneficial to him if anything,” said Nicks, who will also be represented in the In Reality field by Jacks or Better Farm’s Shivaree, a maiden who finished fourth in the Affirmed. “I think he’s been asking for distance. I’ve said that all along. We’ll see what happens Saturday. Liam’s Lucky Charm, who finished third in his May 12 debut, graduated by 6 ¾ lengths at five furlongs on June 9. He would go on to finish 3 ¼ lengths behind Chance It in the six-furlong Dr. Fager, in which the son of Khozan was bumped leaving the backstretch and staged a four-wide move on the turn and into the homestretch. Reylu Gutierrez has the return mount aboard Liam’s Lucky Charm. Jeffrey Sanchez has been named on Shivaree. In defeat in the Affirmed, Chance It registered his third straight 91 Beyer Speed Figure to claim three of the 10 fastest numbers recorded by a 2-year-old in the country this year. “If a horse runs a good Beyer or a good figure once, I’m always questioning it, but to do it repeatedly, that’s legit. He’s no phony. He’s a legit horse,” Joseph said. “I think he has a lot of talent. I’m excited to see him run Saturday.” Chance It’s two-turn quest may well hinge on how he breaks in the 1 1/16-mile test, which will have a relatively short run to the first turn. “I believe, on the dirt, you have to break well. The break is important,” Joseph said. “On turf, you have to be patient. On dirt, you have to use a little to get position, after that the race is easier once you break from there.” Chance It, who finished second in his debut, turned in a dazzling performance while graduating by 9 ¼ lengths at 5 ½ furlongs on June 9, registering the fastest Beyer Speed Figure in the country at the time. He came right back to score a front-running victory in the Dr. Fager before coming up just short in valiant effort in the Affirmed. Tyler Gaffalione is scheduled to ride Chance It for the first time Saturday. Chance It will be double-teamed by a pair of Stonehedge-bred and -owned sons of Khozan. Smash Factor is slated to join Liam’s Lucky Charm in the starting gate. The Michael Yates-trained Smash Factor also owns a decision over Chance It, having scored a 1 ½-length victory over the Joseph trainee in their respective debuts on June 1. Smash Factor hasn’t raced since his debut triumph due to ‘baby’ issues, but has trained well preparing for Saturday’s return to action around two turns. Jesus Rios has the return mount. Owner Ramiro Rosas Medina and trainer Angel Rodriguez will also be represented by two sons of Khozan in the In Reality, Rebelde and Rosas Way. Rebelde closed from last to finish a distant third in the Affirmed after breaking his maiden by nine lengths on Aug. 2. “I think he’s going to enjoy the distance,” Rodriguez said. “He’s an easy horse to ride. You can relax him, save ground, and make a run with him.” Rosas Way closed from seventh to finish third in a Sept. 6 starter optional claiming allowance won by front-running Man With a Plan. Jose Batista has been named on Rebelde, while Marcos Meneses is scheduled to ride Rosas Way. Arindel will also be represented by a pair of homebred sons of Brethren. Both Juan Alvarado-trained Genghis and Stanley Gold-trained Poe are coming off impressive maiden special weight victories. Genghis launched his career with three second-place finishes, including a runner-up finish in Chance It’s brilliant maiden victory. He came right back to score by 2 ¾ lengths in his most recent start. Poe finished third in his first two starts before breaking through with a two-length maiden victory Aug. 31. Emisael Jaramillo and Jairo Rendon have the return mounts aboard Genghis and Poe, respectively.
The announcement that Belmont Park will be the new home of the New York Islanders brings back memories from 51 or 52 years ago for this veteran observer.
In 1967 or '68, the Islanders were set to announce the building of the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale in the center of Nassau County and wanted to make the announcement in the team's program, as opposed to the media. I was working at the Suffolk Sun in Deer Park at the time when sports editor Larry Conroy came to me and told me that Islanders' owner Roy Boe and president Lou Carnesecca (former St. John's University basketball coach) wanted a reporter from our paper to handle the program story. Conroy elected me for the job.
I met the two in their offices and spent an hour or so gathering all the info, and I wound up announcing the birth of the Coliseum a short time later. At the time, the Islanders were playing at the Commack Arena, a dump of a building which the Long Island Ducks also used as home ice.
The Coliseum opened in 1972 located on 63 acres of Mitchel Field, a former Army airfield which also brings back many memories for me. First, during World War II, my father, an Army Captain, was stationed there for a time; second, it is right across the road from my alma mater, Hofstra University, which was Hofstra College in those days; third, it is right up the street from the former site of Roosevelt Raceway, the harness track where I and my buddies learned what wagering on equines was all about; and fourth, it's just a few miles east of Belmont Park, where, with two high school buddies, I watched my first thoroughbred race on a Wednesday during the first week of June in 1957, two days before we became part of the final graduating class from Woodmere High School.
You can bet that many of the Islanders' players will be spending many off-the-ice hours enjoying the races at one of the great racetracks in the world. Like I did.
The Coliseum gained a great deal of notoriety in the '70s because it also became the home of the (ABA and NBA) New York Nets and their All-World star, Julius Irving. The Islanders played there exclusively from '72 to 2015 and again part-time in 2018 after the building received a major renovation.
I'm hurt that the latest owner of the Islanders didn't call and ask me to write the story of the building of the new Coliseum at Belmont Park. I guess nobody told him I wrote the first story five decades ago.
HALLANDALE BEACH - The 20-cent Rainbow 6 went unsolved for the 45th racing day in a row Sunday, producing a carryover jackpot of $1,852,653 for Wednesday’s program at Gulfstream Park. First-race post time is set for 1:15 p.m. Multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $19,507. The Rainbow 6 was last solved July 6, when one bettor cashed a $173,583 jackpot payoff. The carryover jackpot stood at $1,763,111 at the start of Rainbow 6 wagering Sunday, and $373,127 was bet into the pool. There will also be a Super Hi-5 carryover of $2,481.74 heading into Wednesday’s card
Events, Big Races and Mandatory Payouts Closing Week
There will be lots of action during closing week of the Summer Meet, which begins with a special eight-race program Wednesday. Saturday will mark the finals of the Florida Sire Stakes featuring the $400,000 In Reality for 2-year-old colts and geldings and the $400,000 My Dear Girl for 2-year-old fillies. The Saturday program will also include the $150,000 Wildcat Heir for 3-year-olds and up, as well as five other stakes each worth $75,000. The Flamingo Room will also play host Saturday to the third and final Taste of the Track – Bourbon, Beer & BBQ. Fans can sample hand-selected bourbons, local craft beers and BBQ bites and sliders while watching the races. The event starts at 1 p.m. Finally, closing day Sunday will feature mandatory payouts on the 20-cent Rainbow 6, Late Pick 5 and Super Hi 5. If no one hits the Rainbow 6 through Saturday, the pool could reach as high as $10 million for the finale.
Blue Heaven Farm’s Starship Jubilee successfully defended her title in Woodbine’s $253,500, Gr. II Canadian Stakes (G2) on Saturday, taking the lead at the start and never looking back, opening a long lead on the turn and coasting to victory by 4 1/4 lengths. It’s the sixth stakes victory for the multiple graded stakes-winning 6-year-old Florida-bred daughter of Indy Wind. Trained by Kevin Attard, she's now 30-13-4-3 with earnings of $865,670.
A two-time OBS graduate, Starship Jubilee was sold by The Acorn at the 2014 August Yearling Sale and then consigned by Halcyon Hammock Farm, Agent, to the 2015 April Sale where she worked an eighth in :10 2/5 at the Under Tack Show. ERJ Racing LLC, Great Friends Stable LLC and Tom Mansor’s Lazy Daisy is two for three and now a graded stakes-winner after dueling for the lead from the start of Saturday’s $200,000, Gr. II Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs, putting away her rival in deep stretch and easing away to win by a length and a quarter.
The 2-year-old filly by Paynter is another two-time OBS graduate, consigned by First Finds to the 2018 October Yearling Sale before she was purchased for $39,000 by Mr. Mansor out of the Off the Hook consignment at the 2019 April Sale after turning in an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5. Now 3-2-0-0 for trainer Doug O’Neill, Lazy Daisy has earned $174,880. Marianne Stribling, Force Five Racing LLC and Two Rivers Racing Stable LLC’s Phat Man was in no rush in the early going of Sunday’s $75,000 Good Magic Mile Stakes at Monmouth Park, but circled horses on the turn to reach the leaders, took the lead in the stretch and held on gamely to score by a head. It’s the second stakes score for the 5-year-old gelding by Munnings, trained by J. Kent Sweezey, leaving him with a 23-6-6-1 career record and $353,823 in earnings. Consigned by Bobby Dodd, Agent, he went through the ring at the 2016 OBS March Sale after breezing an Under Tack eighth in :10 2/5.
HALLANDALE BEACH - Today’s 12-race program at Gulfstream Park will include a Rainbow 6 carryover of $1,457,629. First race post time is 12:45 p.m. For the 40th consecutive racing day, there was no single winning ticket Saturday on the 20-cent wager. Multiple tickets with six winners returned $39,851. The Rainbow 6 was last solved July 6, when one bettor hit for a $173,583 jackpot payoff. Today’s sequence begins with the seventh race, a five furlong event for 2-year-olds. The sequence will include three turf races. There will also be a Super Hi 5 carryover of $3,437.
NOTES: Sanford Bacon’s and Patrick Biancone Racing’s 3-year-old filly Kelsey’s Cross, third in the Gr. III Wonder Again and third in the Saratoga Oaks, returned to Gulfstream Saturday to win a mile turf event in 1:35.05. The daughter of Anthony’s Cross broke her maiden at Gulfstream in May…Manuel J. Melean won his first race in the U.S. when guiding Angelus Warrior to victory in the seventh race. Melean is from Venezuela and is the brother of Manuel A. Melean, who has won six races in the U.S
HALLANDALE BEACH - The 20-cent Rainbow 6 carryover jackpot continued to build to life-changing proportions at Gulfstream Park today, when the multi-race wager went unsolved for the 38th consecutive day. The carryover jackpot will stand at $1,294,231 for Friday’s 2:15 p.m. twilight program. Multiple tickets with five of six winners were each worth $1,646.88. Friday’s sequence will span Races 4-9, including a stakes-quality optional claiming allowance in Race 9. The six-furlong race will be contested by Quijote, the 2018 Sunshine Millions Sprint winner who will make his second start off a layoff; Three Rules, the 2016 Florida Sire Stakes champion who is set to return off a four-month layoff; Harryhee, a hard-hitting stakes-winner who is coming off an optional claiming allowance victory; and six others. The Rainbow 6 was last solved July 6, when one bettor hit for a $173,583 payoff. The carryover stood at $1,262,470 at the start of wagering and $132,377 was bet into the pool. There were no tickets with all five winners of the Late Pick 5, producing a carryover of $32,181 for Friday. The Late Pick 5 will span Races 5-9.
Richard the Great Makes Stellar Return Richard the Great, a stakes-winning son of Distorted Humor, returned from a 13-month layoff in top form in Race 4 on today’s program. The graded stakes-placed Arindel Farm homebred hustled to the early lead from the rail, rebuffed a backstretch challenge and drew off in the seven-furlong waiver claiming race by 8 ¾ lengths. Ridden by Emisael Jaramillo, the 7-year-old gelding set fractions of :22.94, :45.82 and 1:09.77 on his way to a final clocking of 1:23.83 over a sloppy sealed track.
Richard the Great paid $4.60 and was not eligible to be claimed while making his return off the long layoff. He had been working sharply for trainer Juan Alvarado at both Arindel Farm in Ocala and Gulfstream in preparation for the race.
Live racing returns to the OBS on Tuesday, Nov. 26.
Two sprint stakes for OBS Sale graduates headline the day. Free nominations to both races close on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The position on the calendar provides horsemen a stakes opportunity before the kickoff of the Gulfstream Park Championship Meeting and the opening of Tampa Bay Downs.
The two OBS stakes are non-wagering events, but there will be pari-mutuel wagering available on eight additional races. Entries will be taken on Tuesday, Nov. 19. The OBS Sprint and the OBS Filly and Mare Sprint are for three-year-olds and upward. Both races will be run over six furlongs, each with a guaranteed purse of $125,000, restricted to OBS graduates.
The eight pari-mutuel races will feature quarter horse races for 2-year-olds as well as for three years old and upward at distances from 220 yards to 440 yards. Up to four thoroughbred maiden and starter allowance races may be used as substitute races. Purses range from $4,000 to $7,000 with all starters guaranteed a minimum of $200.
HALLANDALE BEACH - Matalona Thoroughbreds' Stormy Embrace, who captured the Gr. II, $250,000 Princess Rooney on the June 29 Summit of Speed card, is scheduled for a return to action in Saturday’s $100,000 Sheer Drama at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Kathleen O’Connell, Stormy Embrace will clash with eight rivals in the seven-furlong race for Florida-bred fillies and mares. Stormy Embrace secured a fees-paid berth to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 2 with her two-length triumph in the Princess Rooney, won by the 5-year-old daughter of Circular Quay by six lengths in 2018.
Stormy Embrace finished a troubled 11th in the Filly and Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs last fall before finishing second by a neck behind Dream Pauline in the Gr. III Sugar Swirl and third behind Dream Pauline in the Gr. III Hurricane Bertie during Gulfstream’s 2018-2019 Championship Meet. She came off a four-month layoff to capture the $100,000 Musical Romance, a seven-furlong test for Florida-breds, by more than 10 lengths while tuning up for her title defense in the Princess Rooney. Wilmer Garcia has the return mount. Todd Pletcher-trained Shanghai Starlet returns to Gulfstream and state-bred competition after finishing off the board in a 5 ½-turf stakes at Monmouth. King of Prussia Stables’ 4-year-old daughter of Shanghai Bobby has won three of five starts over Gulfstream’s main track, including a win in the Panama City last summer. She also won the Sunshine Millions Distaff Preview at Gulfstream West last November. Edgard Zayas, who was aboard for both stakes victories, has the mount Saturday. Northwind Thoroughbreds' Ms Meshak enters the Sheer Drama off a going-away 2 3/4-length victory in the July 27 Added Elegance. The Joe Orseno-trained 4-year-old daughter of Shackleford has won five races over the Gulfstream main track and also won a five-furlong turf race in April. Jairo Rendon has the mount. ones Stakes-winners Wildwood’s Beauty and Starcloud are entered in the Sheer Drama, which also attracted stakes-placed last-out winners Heiresall and Amaluna, as well as Weekend Mischief and Bones.
Rainbow 6 Carryover Jackpot Swells to $1,082,320 The 20-cent Rainbow 6 carryover jackpot grew to $1,082,320 for today’s 2:15 p.m. twilight card when the multi-race wager went unsolved for the 34th consecutive racing day Thursday. Multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $13,252. The Rainbow 6 was last solved July 6, when one bettor hit for a $173,583 payoff. There will also be a Super Hi-5 carryover of $4,248. The Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 4-9, including the $60,000 James H. Kyle Stakes in Race 5. Multiple stakes-winner Galleon Mast has been installed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite for the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds and up. The 6-year-old son of Mizzen Mast, who has finished in the money in 18 of his 20 starts over the Gulfstream turf, finished a close second in his second start off a seven-month layoff last time out. The David Fawkes-trained gelding will be ridden by Emisael Jaramillo.
How about a day featuring a 10-race program, purses of $1,310,000, and a jockey colony including Joel Rosario, Florent Geroux, Joe Bravo, Rafael Bejarano, Julien Leparoux, Tyler Gaffalione and Jose Ortiz, among others? Has to be Saratoga, or Del Mar, or Gulfstream, or Belmont, right?
Wrong on all counts! It would be Thursday's upcoming card at Kentucky Downs, highlighted by the $250,000 Old Friends Stakes, plus a maiden claimer with a purse of $53,000, a starter allowance ($42,000), four maiden specials ($130,000 each), an allowance ($145,100) and two allowance optional claimers ($150,000 each).
The meeting in southern Kentucky lasts just five days - it opened last Thursday with a record handle of $8.6 million. After this Thursday, the final three days will be Friday, Saturday and Sept. 12. Average daily purses of upwards of $2.3 million adds up to $11,532,000 for the five days.
This abbreviated meeting enjoys another unique facet. Each race is limited to 12 starters, but there are 16 entered in six of the races and 14 in the other four. While so many tracks around the country are starving for horses, this day at Kentucky Downs has 32 on the also-eligible lists.
And where does the money come from to add up to more than $11 million? For the rest of the year, Kentucky Downs features historical racing. Here's a breakdown of all the purses, and how much of the total is a result of the historical racing program. Maiden claiming - $42,930; starter allowance - $34,020; four maiden specials - $113,100 each; allowance - $124,700; two allowance optional claimers - $129,000 each. That's a total of $912,050.
Why don't other racing operators without a casino or poker room follow suit? As Yul Brynner might say, "It's a puzzlement."
HALLANDALE BEACH - The $16 million Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series, which has become one of sport’s most prestigious and exciting days, and the $1 million Florida Derby, which has produced the winners of 59 Triple Crown events, highlight Gulfstream Park’s 2019-2020 Championship Meet beginning Friday, Nov. 29. The Championship Meet, which has attracted the world’s top horses, horsemen and jockeys since 1939, will feature 98 stakes races – including 39 graded – for total purses of $28.6 million. Along with the Pegasus and Florida Derby, Gulfstream will again be the hub of racing events during the Championship Meet, hosting the Clasico Internacional del Caribe, Claiming Crown, and the 49th annual Eclipse Awards.
In just three years, the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series has attracted the sport’s biggest stars, including champions Arrogate, Gun Runner and California Chrome, as well as City of Light and international stars Magic Wand, Aerolithe and Kukulkan. In all, Pegasus World Cup Day will feature nine stakes – six graded –with total purses of more than $17 million. The $1 million Florida Derby, the country’s leading classic prep race that has produced 44 starters who have gone on to win 59 Triple Crown events, will be held March 28 as part of a Derby Day with seven stakes – four graded – and total stakes purses of $1.950 million. One of those stakes will be the $250,000, Gr. II Gulfstream Park Oaks, the 3-year-old filly counterpart to the Derby. The Derby will culminate a rich and diverse stakes schedule for 3-year-old classic contenders beginning Jan. 4 with the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man and continuing Feb. 1 with the $350,000, Gr. II Holy Bull and $150,000, Gr. III Swale, the Feb. 22 $100,000, Gr. III Hutcheson, and Feb. 29, Gr. II $400,000 Fountain of Youth. The Holy Bull has produced a number of Gr. 1 winners including Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby winners Always Dreaming (2018) and Barbaro (2006), Florida Derby winners Audible (2018), Dialed In (2011), Friends Lake (2004) and Harlan’s Holiday (2002), as well as Gr. 1 winners Jackson Bend, Editor’s Note and Keen Ice. The Fountain of Youth has produced dozens of graded winners of the past 73 years, including Kentucky Derby and Florida Derby winners Orb, Thunder Gulch, Spectacular Bid and Tim Tam. The Gulfstream Park Oaks will be the final race in a lucrative 3-year-old filly series on dirt which begins Jan. 4 with the $75,000 Glitter Woman and continues with the $150,000, Gr. III Forward Gal on Feb. 1 and $200,000, Gr. II Davona Dale on Feb. 29. Gulfstream will also offer 3-year-old turf stakes, including the Jan. 4 $100,000 Ginger Brew on Jan. 4, the $100,000, Gr. III Sweetest Chant on Feb.1, the $150,000, Gr. III Herecomesthebride on Feb. 29 and the $125,000 Sanibel Island on March 28. The world-class turf course will host a number of major events for 3-year-olds and up beginning in December with the $200,000, Gr. II Fort Lauderdale going 1 1/8 miles on Dec. 14, as well as six stakes scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 28. Other graded turf races for 4-year-olds and up include the $200,000, Gr. II Mac Diarmida and $150,000, Gr. III Canadian Turf on Feb. 29, the $100,000, Gr. III Appleton on March 27 and $250,000, Gr. II Pan American on March 28. Graded turf stakes for older fillies and mares include the $150,000, Gr. III Suwannee River on Feb. 8, the $150,000, Gr. III Honey Fox and $150,000, Gr. III The Very One on Feb. 29, and the $100,000, Gr. III Orchid on March 28. The Clasico Internacional del Caribe, featuring the top horses from Latin America and the Caribbean, returns for the third year on Sunday, Dec. 8. The five stakes, totaling $690,000, will be highlighted by the $300,000 Clasico del Caribe for 3-year-olds. For the eighth, Gulfstream will play host to the $1.11 million Claiming Crown on Saturday, Dec. 7. Made up of nine stakes races, the day will be highlighted by the $200,000 Jewel. The $600,000 Sunshine Millions, featuring the leading Florida-breds, will be contested on Saturday, Jan. 18 with the feature being the $200,000 Classic, a race whose past winners include Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man, multiple Gr. 1 winner Lava Man, and the popular Best of the Rest. The first Saturday of the Championship Meet will feature six stakes for 2-year-olds with purses of $450,000.
HALLANDALE BEACH - Stonehedge LLC’s Lenzi’s Lucky Lady, who will likely be favored in Saturday’s $200,000 Susan’s Girl at Gulfstream Park, breezed in 50:80 seconds in a half-mile maintenance workout at Gulfstream West Sunday morning. Lenzi’s Lucky Lady is undefeated in three starts, including a 4 ¼-length romp on Aug. 3 in the $100,000 Desert Vixen, first leg of the Florida Sire Stakes series for 2-year-olds sired by accredited Florida stallions. The Susan’s Girl, a seven-furlong event for fillies, will co-headline Saturday’s card with the $200,000 Affirmed, the seven-furlong open division in which Shooting Star Thoroughbreds LLC’s Chance It, winner of the $100,000 Dr. Fager, is likely to be favored. Stonehedge LLC’s Marren’s Marvel, who finished a troubled eighth in the Desert Vixen, breezed five furlongs in 1:03.40 at Gulfstream West for O’Connell also in preparation for the Susan’s Girl. EASY WORK - Sunday morning at Gulfstream, Saffie Joseph Jr. sent multiple graded stakes-placed Math Wizard to the track for an easy three-furlong breeze in 38.75 seconds with Edgard Zayas. It was the 3-year-old son of Algorithms’ first workout since his sixth-place finish in the Gr. III West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer on Aug. 3. Math Wizard previously finished fourth in the Gr. II Wood Memorial, second in the Gr. III Ohio Derby and third in the Gr. III Indiana Derby. “He had a pretty hard campaign and we felt it was a good time to freshen him up a bit and bring him back in late September," Joseph said. "From what I've seen of him, I'm really happy with where we're at. We'll nominate to the Pennsylvania Derby (at Parx, Sept. 21) and I'd love to make the Oklahoma Derby (Sept. 27) with him at Remington. He's still eligible for a starter allowance at Gulfstream, so depending on the timing, I'd love to use that race as a prep before putting him back into stakes company.”
Bonus Money Makes Sept. 28 Sire Stakes $1.15 Million Day The FTBOA has added $25,000 bonuses to both the Monroe Stakes and Hollywood Beach Stakes to be run on Sept. 28 as part of the finals of the Florida Sire Stakes. With both the Monroe and Hollywood now worth $100,000, the program will have total stakes purses of $1.15 million. The day will be highlighted by the $400,000 In Reality for 2-year-old colts and geldings and the $400,000 My Dear Girl for 2-year-old fillies. The $150,000 Wildcat Heir will also be contested. “We look forward every summer to the Florida Sire Stakes and working with our great partners at the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association,” said Vice President of Racing Bill Badgett. “We expect some great racing this weekend with the second leg of the Sire Stakes featuring the $200,000 Affirmed and $200,000 Susan’s Girl. Our summer program continues to grow with the support of the FTBOA, horsemen from across the country, and our fans.” Saturday’s second leg of the Sire Stakes will also be highlighted by Tequila & Tapas, featuring Latin- inspired tapas and handcrafted Tequila cocktails in the Flamingo Room.
Art G Is Back Headed Back to Turf after Benny the Bull Win Fresh off an impressive victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Benny the Bull, over Gulfstream Park’s main track, Monarch Stable’s Art G Is Back is slated to return to turf for his next start. “He’s going back to the turf on the 21st [of September},” trainer Ron Spatz said. “That’s what we’ve been aiming for. This race was to keep him busy.” The versatile son of Exchange Rate defeated a strong group of older horses to earn his second career stakes victory, closing strongly in the stretch to defeat Royal Squeeze by a neck under Victor Lebron. Art G Is Back will be back with 3-year-olds in the $75,000 Bear’s Den, a 7 ½-furlong stakes on turf. “He’s better on the dirt, but he runs on the turf," Spatz said. He’s fine, but it seems like he gets beat in more photos on the turf. He’s never won on the turf. He’s been right there” Art G Is back has won four of six starts on dirt, while he is winless in five starts on turf. However, he finished fourth in the Gr. III Palm Beach and has stakes-placed finishes in all four of his other turf starts.
As impressive as Khozan has been for Journeyman Stud with his nine early winners, none of those victories was more eye-catching than the maiden-breaker of High On Gin at Evangeline Downs on Wednesday.
The filly by Journeyman's other freshman sire, Fury Kapcori, came from sixth place with a huge run on the turn, then made up about five lengths in the final sixteenth with a monster burst to score by 2 1/4. Bred by Deborah Silveira, the filly earned a check for $13,800 and could loom a serious threat in Florida's 2-year-old division for the rest of the year.
Betbestbreeze has a boatload of runners scheduled to compete around the country today, including 10 first-time starters and seven stakes horses, three of the latter going at Saratoga. And Mike Mulligan prepped for the weekend on Friday with a rare accomplishment.
The 10th race at the Spa was the $100,000 Skidmore Stakes, a black-type race at 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass. BBB had no less than four horses listed for the race, and amazingly they finished 1-2-3-4. Another Miracle won by 1 3/4 lengths as the second choice and paid $7.10, and Proven Strategies was second at odds of 10-1. The favorite, Montauk Daddy, was third and 20-1 shot Memorable completed the memorable superfecta.
The $2 exacta paid $54.50, the $2 trifecta $90.48, and the $1 superfecta $235. Earlier on the card, Prairie Fire won the fourth race and paid $7.
Today should prove to be very interesting.
HALLANDALE BEACH - A carryover jackpot of $654,663 awaits Rainbow 6 bettors on Saturday’s 12:45 p.m. program at Gulfstream Park.
The 20-cent Rainbow 6 went unsolved for the 24rd consecutive racing day today when multiple tickets were each worth $28,637. The Rainbow was last solved July 6, when one bettor hit for a $173,583 jackpot payoff.
Saturday’s sequence will span Races 7-12. There will also be a Super Hi-5 carryover of $1,628 heading into Saturday’s card. Multiple Group-Stakes Winner Raven’s Lady Wins Feature Raven’s Lady, a two-time group-stakes winner in Europe last year, captured her first victory in the U.S. in today’s Race 8 feature. Owned by D. P. Racing and Medallion Racing, the 5-year-old daughter of Raven’s Pass had been winless in three previous U.S. starts, all graded stakes, before prevailing by 1 ½ lengths in the 7 ½-furlong optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares on turf. Making her first start for trainer Patrick Biancone, Raven’s Lady was crowded and fanned wide heading into the first turn before settling well off the pace set by stablemate Beachwood Ella, who put up fractions of :23.40 and :47.64 for the first half mile. Raven’s Lady, the 9-5 favorite ridden by Jairo Rendon, rallied leaving the backstretch before making an impressive four-wide sweep to the lead entering the stretch. The English-bred mare asserted her class and drew away to victory. “This is a nice filly,” Biancone said. “Next, she will be going to Kentucky Downs for the sprint for fillies and mares [$500,000, Gr. III Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint, Sept. 7]. Last year, trainer Marco Botti saddled Raven’s Lady for back-to-back victories in the Gr. III Summer Stakes at York and the Gr. II Boldene Peitsche at Baden-Baden. Raven’s Lady raced 7 ½ furlongs in 1:30.47 over a good turf course. Zarina, who captured the Martha Washington Stakes at Gulfstream in July, rallied from last while following the lead of Raven’s Lady to finish second under Leonel Reyes. Midnight Soiree finished third under Albin Jimenez, another length back.
At Del Mar on Sunday, Hronis Racing LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds and William Sandbrook’s Inspiressa was bet down to even money for her debut in a $61,000 maiden special dash and lived up to her billing. The Florida-bred daughter of The Big Beast, trained by John Sadler, went right to the front and stayed there to the finish, winning under a hand ride by a length and a quarter. At the March Sale, she sped a quarter in :20 4/5 at the under tack Show before she was sold for $850,000 by her breeder, Ocala Stud, where the Big Beast stands.
Inspiressa became the fourth winner for her freshman sire, who is second in that department behind Khozan among Florida's first-crop stallions.
HALLANDALE BEACH - Trainer Antonio Sano cancelled a planned workout for Gunnevera at Gulfstream Park West Sunday morning, ruling out a start in the Aug. 31 Gr. I Woodward at Saratoga. Gunnevera, a multiple graded stakes-winner who has earned more than $5 million, had previously missed a planned start in the Aug. 3 Whitney at Saratoga with a bruised foot that had forced the cancellation of a pair of workouts. “His foot is fine. He just hasn’t come back as good as I want,” trainer Antonio Sano said. “The timing isn’t good for the Woodward.” The $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 4 remains the ultimate goal for Margoth’s 5-year-old son of Dialed In, who finished second in the race last year at Churchill Downs. Briannjenn Racing’s Addilyn ($2.60) brightened Sano’s day when the 2-year-old daughter of Palace Malice graduated by two lengths in a seven-furlong maiden special weight event in Sunday's second race. The Kentucky-bred filly, who had finished second in her first two career starts while going 4 ½ furlongs and 6 furlongs, dominated her opposition under Edgard Zayas despite veering to the outside in mid-stretch. “She is a good filly. She’s still a little green,” Sano said. J & G Stables LLC and Nicholas Vaccarezza’s Shell Shock, a daughter of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, finished second behind Addilyn in her debut.
Rainbow 6 Carryover Jackpot Swells to $596,772 for Thursday The 20-cent Rainbow 6 went unsolved for the 22nd consecutive racing day Sunday, producing a carryover jackpot of $596,772 for Thursday’s card. Multiple tickets with six winners were each worth $135.18. The Rainbow was last solved on July 6, when one bettor hit for a $173,583 jackpot payoff.
HALLANDALE BEACH - The 20-cent Rainbow 6 went unsolved for the 21st consecutive racing day at Gulfstream Park Friday, producing a carryover jackpot of $560,067 for Sunday’s 12:45 p.m. program.
Multiple tickets with six winners were each worth $5,465. The Rainbow 6 was last solved July 6, when one lucky bettor hit for a $173,583 jackpot payoff. Today's sequence will span Races 7-12.
HALLANDALE BEACH - The Rainbow 6 will offer a $497,629 carryover jackpot for Friday’s 2:15 p.m. twilight program at Gulfstream Park. The multi-race wager went unsolved for the 19th consecutive program today, when multiple tickets with six winners were each worth $2,042. Friday’s Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 4-9.
Race 7 is a five-furlong optional claiming allowance on the turf; Race 8, a 6 ½-furlong race for $15,000 claimers; and Race 9, a 7 ½-furlong maiden claimer on turf, and all will also be included in the Stronach 5 sequence as the second, fourth and fifth legs, respectively. Race 8 at Laurel Park will kick off the Stronach 5, while Laurel’s Race 9 will be the third leg.
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL - Scandinavian jockey Fanny Olsson moved another step closer to achieving her goal of becoming established in the U.S. Sunday, riding her second winner of the weekend at Gulfstream Park. The 26-year-old native of Sweden, who has ridden more than 100 winners in Sweden, Denmark and Norway since embarking on her career in 2016, scored a front-running four-length triumph aboard Jorge Delgado-trained Chirping ($6.80) in Race 3, a 1 1/16-mile race for $6,250 claimers. “My dream has always been to ride races here,” Olsson said. “I’m just blessed.” Olsson ventured from Sweden to South Florida 10 months ago and worked as an exercise rider at Gulfstream while preparing to graduate to riding in the afternoon. She rode her first race on May 25, but didn't score her first U.S. victory until her fourth mount in Friday’s eighth race, winning by 12 ½ lengths on Delgado-trained Slingin Sammy B. “It’s a lot different here," Olsson said. "They ride a lot tighter. The races are much faster. The riders here are really good. I’m just going to have to step up my game.”
Rainbow 6 Jackpot Rising - The Rainbow 6 went unsolved for the 18th consecutive racing day Sunday, producing a carryover jackpot of $472,901 for Thursday’s program. Multiple tickets with all six winners Sunday were each worth $35,083.20.
There will also be a Late Pick 5 carryover of $38,054. Also, there will be a Super Hi-5 carryover of $18,901. The Rainbow 6 was last solved on July 6, when one bettor hit for a $173,583 jackpot payoff..
HALLANDALE BEACH - Shooting Star Thoroughbreds LLC’s Chance It kept the buzz alive Saturday at Gulfstream Park with a dominating 3 ¼ -length victory in the $100,000 Dr. Fager, first leg of the 2019 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series, The six-furlong test for 2-year-olds sired by nominated stallions standing in Florida, co-headlined the Florida Sire Stakes program with the $100,000 Desert Vixen, a six-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies.
Chance It first created the buzz June on 29 when he earned the fastest Beyer Speed Figure (92) of any 2-year-old in the country at the time while breaking his maiden and was sent to post as the 1-5 favorite. The son of Currency Swap broke well from the No. 1 post under Edgard Zayas and was immediately taken on by Man With a Plan, who was ridden hard by Emisael Jaramillo to take a narrow advantage along the backstretch.
Unable to ease his mount off the inside, Zayas remained patient aboard Chance It while being lapped on by the long-shot pacesetter. Zayas asked his mount for some run leaving the backstretch, and the Florida-bred colt quickly asserted himself to open a lead on the far turn. Liam’s Lucky Charm made a sweeping move on the turn into the homestretch but was no match for Chance It, who drew away to a comfortable victory. Liam’s Lucky Charm, the 12-1 third-choice, finished second, 10 ¼ lengths ahead of Absolute Grit, the 5-1 second choice who raced evenly under Christian Torres. Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Chance It ran six furlongs in 1:11.22, a final clocking built on fractions of 22.53 and 45.82 seconds for the first half mile on a sealed ‘good’ track.” Chance It was greeted in the winner’s circle by a large contingent from Shooting Star Thoroughbreds, a first-year ownership group managed by longtime trainer Mary Lightner. “We had the speed right next to us so we were definitely concerned about that. But we went in thinking if he’s good enough he can overcome these things and he showed today he could,” Lightner said. “Edgard knows the horse really well and he does such a great job and Saffie, nobody could do a better job than Saffie getting him ready.” Chance It is out of Vagabon Diva, who had been adopted for $250 and subsequently given away to Ocala breeder Bett Usher. The long-striding colt was purchased privately after a Lightner-trained half-brother broke his maiden in his first start. Despite a modest pedigree, Chance It attracted several offers that were turned down. “We have had a little bit of interest, the phone has been ringing a few times, but we’re a racing syndicate and we wanted to do right by all these people,” Lightner said. “It’s hard to get a really good horse. So that’s the direction we decided to go. To keep him and see what we can do in the Sire Stakes.” The open division of the Florida Sire Stakes series will continue with the running of the $200,000 Affirmed on Aug. 31 and conclude with the $400,000 In Reality on Sept.28. “Mary turned down a lot of money, which is good for me because we get to keep the horse,” Joseph said. “The horse is going to have a bright future.”
In his selections on his Betbestbreeze.com website, Mike Mulligan has pinpointed a great many first-time starters who have blossomed into superior runners in the past couple of seasons. The multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Mitole is one of the best examples.
Back on Feb. 16, Mike had Shancelot among his selections when the colt was making his career debut at Gulfstream Park. In Mike's 1-9 rating system, with 1 as the best, the son of Shanghai Bobby was rated as a 1 and he sold for $245,000 at the OBS March sale. All Shancelot did that day was win and pay $27.60.
The colt didn't start again until June 23, when he showed up at Monmouth Park and made it two in a row, but this time the price was a little different - $2.60. He raced six furlongs in 1:08.43 and received an E speed figure of 108.
On Sunday, Shancelot continued to excel, winning the Gr. II Amsterdam at Saratoga by no less than 12 1/2 lengths. That type of winning margin is usually reserved for distance races of some kind, not for 6 1/2 furlongs, as in the Amsterdam. His clocking of 1:14.01 was eye-opening - Quality Road's track record is 1:13.74. That translates into about a length and a quarter.
To add to the mix, BBB pick Nitrous finished second at 5-1, with the exacta paying $27.20.
But that wasn't the only BBB success on Sunday. There were 25 horses listed on the website, with one scratch. But Mike couldn't get winners in the remaining 24, because there were five races around the country in which he had two runners, and another two races with three runners.
Aside from Shancelot, the big bang was contributed by Saratoga first-time starter Heartstrings, who followed up the Amsterdam by winning the 12th race and paying $81.50, leading to all kinds of monster exotic payoffs. Mike also tabbed Fujairah at Gulfstream for $30.20, Dreams Are Made at Ellis Park for $8.60, and Sunflower Girl at Monmouth Park for $3.40.
On Monday, Mike followed the Sunday heroics with just two first-timers listed on the sparse racing program. One of them, Bear Creek, won a $30,000 maiden special at Presque Isle Downs and paid $18.20. The other, Mizzen Beau, finished fourth at Ellis at odds of $6.90-1 after experiencing two bumping incidents and still missing second by just a head and a nose.
The BBB first-timers from the recent 2-year-old sales have come out running. Knowing who they are can prove to be very lucrative.
HALLANDALE BEACH - Stonehedge LLC’s Lenzi’s Lucky Lady is slated to put her undefeated record on the line in Saturday’s $100,000 Desert Vixen division of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The Desert Vixen, a six-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies sired by qualifying Florida stallions, will co-headline Saturday’s program with the $100,000 Dr. Fager, the six-furlong open division. Lenzi’s Lucky Lady prevailed following a race-long duel by a half-length while debuting at Gulfstream June 6. The daughter of With Distinction came right back to capture the June 28 Golden Isles Stakes, in which she rated just off the pace before drawing clear by 5 ¼ lengths.
“She comes from a great family," trainer Kathleen O'Connell said. "I had the mother, I won stakes with her mother. She has a lot of class.”
Jairo Rendon has the return mount aboard the homebred filly, whose dam, Blue Eyed Sweetie, was a multiple stakes-winner during her juvenile season. O’Connell is also scheduled to saddle Stonehedge Farm’s Marrens Marvel, a homebred daughter of With Distinction. Marren’s Marvel enters the Desert Vixen off a May 11 debut victory. “I love her," O'Connell said. "She’s matured. She’s gotten better and better every day.” Reylu Gutierrez is slated to ride Marrens Marvel for the first time Saturday. O’Connell, who has saddled 2,098 winners during an enduring career, has enjoyed long-standing success in the Sire Stakes, having saddled the winners of 11 series stakes, visiting the winner’s circle with such stars as Blazing Sword, Ivanavinalot and Well Defined, who all went on to graded stakes success. Gary Barber’s Two Sixty looms as a serious contender in the Desert Vixen off her recent debut victory at Gulfstream, in which she shook off pressure and drew away to a four-length victory on July 6. The daughter of Uncaptured, who was purchased for $260,000 at the 2019 OBS March sale, is trained by Mark Casse, who won the 2018 Desert Vixen with Capture Your Dream. Edgard Zayas has the mount. Alex and JoAnn Lieblong’s Ms Big Spring also enters the Desert Vixen off an eye-catching maiden score. The daughter of The Big Beast, who finished third in her debut, romped by 10 ½ lengths in front-running fashion on June 30. Trainer David Fawkes gave the call to Emisael Jaramillo. Arindel entered Raven and Sonar, both homebred daughters of their own stallion, Brethren, in the Desert Vixen. The Oscar Gonzalez-trained Raven finished second behind Lenzi’s Lucky Lady in the Golden Isles after winning her debut for a $25,000 claiming price. Juan Alvarado-trained Sonar, who broke her maiden on May 11 in her second career start, finished fifth after setting a pressured pace in the Golden Isles. Miguel Vasquez has the mount on Raven, while Rajiv Maragh has the call on Sonar. The field is rounded out by All Together Stable and Gary Grant’s Bahamian Girl, who finished third in the Golden Isles; John Liviakis’ Lady Joanna, who is coming off a debut victory for a $12,500 claiming price; and Our Sugar Bear Stable’s Sweetheart Deal, a 7 ½-length winner for a $50,000 tag.
HALLANDALE BEACH – There are 36 years of history to the Florida Sire Stakes. And lasting memories. There have been champions Holy Bull, Smile, Big Drama, Awesome Feather and Brave Raj rising to national prominence in the series. Three Ring winning the Susan’s Girl before growing into a Gr. 1 winner. There’s popular trainer Bill Kaplan heading to the Breeders’ Cup after sweeping the series with Seacliff. Could anyone deter nationally renowned sports columnist Pete Axthelm from believing Sire Stakes hero What A Cooker would win the 1991 Kentucky Derby? Thirty-seven years later, the Florida Sire Stakes – a series of stakes dedicated to registered Florida-bred 2-year-olds by nominated stallions – continue to thrive and inspire hope. “A lot of dreams come out of it,” said Terry Meyocks, who was Calder’s racing secretary the first year of the Stallion Stakes in 1982. Said Manny Tortora, who retired as Calder’s all-time leading trainer: “Everybody wants to win it.” The $1.4 million FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes, formerly the Florida Stallion Stakes when held at Calder Race Course, kicks off Saturday at Gulfstream Park with the runnings of the Dr. Fager for 2-year-old colts and the Desert Vixen for 2-year-old fillies. The six-furlong races each carry a purse of $100,000. The series continues Aug. 31 with the Affirmed and Susan’s Girl, a pair of $200,000 races at seven furlongs, and culminates Sept. 28 with the In Reality and My Dear Girl, both to be staged at 1 1/16 miles and each carrying a purse of $400,000. The idea for the three-pronged series was created in the late 1970s when Dan Lasater, the Ocala owner and breeder who led the nation's leading owners' list four years in succession, proposed a stakes program devoted exclusively to showcasing Florida-bred juveniles. The time was ripe, In 1978, Affirmed became the first Florida-bred to win the Triple Crown. Florida was established as one of the nation’s top breeding states in terms of foal production. And Calder, which opened in 1971 as South Florida’s “summer track,” was searching for an identity. It was a perfect storm and ultimately, Meyocks said, “It put Calder on the map.” While Calder couldn’t offer the kind of rich purses necessary to conduct stakes for the nation’s top older horses, its proximity to Ocala turned it into a natural haven for 2-year-olds launching their racing careers. As such, 2-year-olds dominated the South Florida racing scene. “Probably 60 to 70 percent of the horses on the grounds were 2-year-olds,” said Meyocks, who served as Calder racing secretary from 1979-93 and is now president of the Jockeys’ Guild. “We had 1,800 horses on the grounds and probably 1,200 of them were 2-year-olds. We ran five or six 2-year-old races a day in the fall. It saved us.” Most - though not all - of those 2-year-olds were Florida-breds. A few of the exceptions included eventual Kentucky Derby winners Spend a Buck and Lil E. Tee. But in sheer numbers alone, the Florida-breds ruled. And the Sires Stakes program gave horsemen an incentive to participate. “It kept the better 2-year-olds in Florida,” Meyocks said. Tortora, for one, went all-in on Florida-breds. “I did it all with Florida-breds,”he said, saddling more than 2,000 winners at Calder, nearly twice the number of the next-closest trainer, and amassing more than $34 million in purses. “All the money I made was with Florida-breds - horses that I either raised on my own, or me and my owners raised, or we bought in the sale.” All told, Tortora started 111 horses in the Sire Stakes from 1982-2008. He won the first In Reality (the pinnacle race in the series for colts) with Luv a Libra in 1982. His other standout winners were Boots ’n Jackie in 1992, Mecke in 1994 and Sea Emperor in ’94. “The Stallion Stakes is a big thing,” Tortora said. “I won my share of them.”
The series has turned out to be a launching point for a number of future stars. Among them:
Smile, who was trained by Frank Gomez and in 1984 became the first horse to sweep all three legs of the series. He would go on to win the Eclipse Award as the nation’s champion sprinter in 1986. Holy Bull, who shipped in to win the In Reality for trainer/owner Jimmy Croll in 1993, the year before he was voted the nation’s Horse of the Year. Big Drama, who swept the 2008 series for Harold Queen and trainer David Fawkes and went on to be named champion sprinter of 2010. “It was not only important to the Calder program,” Meyocks said, “but it was also important to the Florida racing industry. Sales prices jumped, which helped the breeders. It effected so many people.” Gulfstream, which took over the summer dates from Calder, has continued the tradition. Tortora, who is retired and now lives in Ocala, has fond memories of the Sire Stakes. “I miss all that,” Tortora said. “It’s big.”
HALLANDALE BEACH - Gulfstream Park’s 20-cent Rainbow 6 went unsolved for the 12th consecutive racing day Saturday, producing a carryover for today’s 11-race program of $321,360. Multiple tickets with all six winners Saturday returned $507.90. First race post today is 1:15 p.m. The Rainbow 6 sequence will include two maiden special weight events for 2-year-olds. One of those races, the seventh, for juvenile fillies at 7 ½ furlongs on the turf, will include the racing debut for Liraz, a daughter of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, who wrested the freshman sire money lead from Khozan yesterday. Khozan had held the lead since May 11. However, Khozan still leads in the winners department with eight, one more than Tapiture and two more than Pharoah.
American Pharoah's money lead is slight, $358,171 to $354,157 and that could change today. When Liraz makes her debut in race 7 (she's listed at 5-1 in the morning line), she'll face Carolyn's Smile, a Khozan filly listed at 8-1. Also, Khozan will have Don't Get Khozy going in the 10th race.
The Rainbow 6 was last solved July 6, when one lucky bettor hit for a $173,583 jackpot payoff. IMPERIAL NOTES - Diamond Oops, winner of the Gr. III Smile Sprint at Gulfstream on June 29, finished second Saturday in the $350,000, Gr. I Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga. Trained by Patrick Biancone, Diamond Oops finished four lengths behind the amazing Florida-bred Imperial Hint, and another 3 1/2 ahead of Mitole, the 1/2 favorite. Mitole went into the race on a seven-race winning streak, five in stakes, including the Gr. I Met Mile in his last.
Imperial Hint, the 6-year-old son of former Get Away Farm stallion Imperialism, went off as the 5-1 third choice and paid a surprising $13.60. It was the first time he had not been the favorite in this country since he won the General George Stakes at Laurel Park on Feb. 18 of 2017. In that race, he was the 5/2 second choice behind Stallwalkin' Dude, the Florida-bred son of City Place who retired at the end of last year at age nine with a record of 20-12-11 in 65 starts and earnings of $1,741,397.
This was Imperial Hint's first start since returning from a trip to Dubai, where he finished third in the Golden Shaheen on March 30. He's now 13-2-3 in 22 lifetime starts with earnings of $2,034,155.
STILL KISSIN - It seems like decades since Kissin Kris stood in Florida, but he still has a productive 10-year-old gelding racing at Belterra Park in Cincinnati. Kiss Sin George has earnings of $170,475 on a lifetime record of 20-6-10 in 66 starts. This year, he's 2-0-1 in three tries with earnings of $17,450. It will be interesting to see how long he can keep it going.
Belterra has replaced dilapidated River Downs and judging by its website photos, looks pretty spectacular. It features a casino, and for us old Brooklyn boys, it's very close to the Coney Island Amusement Park.
It was back on May 11 that Journeyman Stud's Khozan moved into first place on the North American first-crop sire list. That was 2 1/2 months ago, and the son of Distorted Humor has been on top ever since, waking up today with eight winners and $354,157 in progeny earnings.
It's anybody's guess when the Khozan euphoria will end, since the stallion most horsemen assumed would be the league leader on Dec. 31 - American Pharoah with his 162 foals - has moved up to second place with earnings of $344,971, and is only two winners behind.
Khozan has a chance to remain in the national battle if one or more of his winners show up in the soon-to-begin six races that make up the Florida Sire Stakes. The first two, the Dr. Fager for colts and geldings, and the Desert Vixen for fillies, are set for Aug. 3. Of course, by then American Pharoah may have taken over the lead.
Khozan still leads the Florida freshman group by a wide margin, and it's doubtful he can be caught, unless Ocala Stud's The Big Beast gets hot; but he has just two winners thus far.
Bloom Racing Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Allen Racing LLC’s Midnight Bisou, an OBS graduate, continued her march toward a title with a victory in Saturday’s $147,000, Gr. III Molly Pitcher Stakes at Monmouth Park.
The 4-year-old daughter of Midnight Lute, trained by Steve Asmussen, is 5-for 5 this year, all in graded stakes company. After saving ground early, she slipped through on the rail in the final furlong and eased away to score by a measured length. That’s her 10th graded stakes victory, and it leaves her with a 10-3-3 career record in 16 starts and $2,870,000 in earnings.
After breezing an under tack eighth in :10 1/5, she was purchased by Jeffrey Bloom for $80,000 out of the Woodford Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2017 April Sale.
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL - Shooting Star Thoroughbreds LLC’s Chance It, who produced the fastest Beyer Speed Figure of any 2-year-old in the country this year in his most recent start, breezed a half-mile in :47.43 seconds Sunday morning at Gulfstream Park. The son of Currency Swap’s tune-up for the Aug. 3 Dr. Fager, first leg of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series, was the fastest of 49 recorded at the distance. The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained colt had previously fired a 47-second bullet workout on July 15. “He went very well,” Joseph said. “He came into our barn in great shape. Mary Lightner, who runs the syndicate that owns him, did a great job getting him ready. The first day, he was a little bad behaving, but since then, he’s done everything you’d want from a racehorse. He trains good. He looks good. He runs good.” Chance It finished second in his June 1 debut, then bounced back to post a brilliant 9 ¼-length triumph at Gulfstream on June 29. The Florida-bred colt won a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight race in 1:03.95 while being wrapped up in the stretch, earning a 92 Beyer. “We always thought he was good. You dream of that, but you have to see it first,” Joseph said. “He showed us talent, and he’s delivered what he’s shown.”
Gunnevera Returns to Worktab at Gulfstream West - Recovered from a foot bruise that had prevented him from breezing since June 15, Margoth’s Gunnevera returned to the worktab at Gulfstream Park West Sunday morning. The 5-year-old son of Dialed In, who finished third in the $10 million Dubai World Cup March 30 in his most recent start, breezed a half-mile in 48 seconds, the fastest of six recorded at the distance. “I’m very happy with my horse,” trainer Antonio Sano said. “Right now, he is 100 percent.” Gunnevera, is being pointed to the Gr. I Whitney at Saratoga on Aug. 3, then for a return to action in the Gr. I Woodward at the Spa on Aug. 31.
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL - The Rainbow 6 went unsolved for the sixth consecutive racing day today, producing a carryover jackpot of $132,718.44 for Friday’s 2 p.m. twilight program at Gulfstream Park.
The Rainbow 6 was last solved on July 6, when one lucky bettor hit for a $173,583 jackpot payoff. Multiple tickets with all six winners Thursday were each worth $15,918.50. The carryover jackpot is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool. There will also be a Super Hi-5 carryover of $2,203.07 heading into Friday’s card.
It's been exactly two months since Journeyman Stud's Khozan took over the freshman sire lead in the U. S., and in that time nobody has been able to replace him. The son of Distorted Humor blasted out of the gate with seven early winners and he currently leads by one over Tapiture. There are several others who have four winners, tied for third.
But Tapiture isn't even close to Khozan in the money department; Khozan is well in the lead with $316,433. American Pharoah is second on that list with $214,251.
Journeyman Stud's Brent and Crystal Fernung offered breeders a deal for this year - if Khozan doesn't wind up as Florida's leading fresh sire on Dec. 31, the first 25 breeders who sent a mare to him during the breeding season just ending will not have to pay the $4,000 stud fee. That deal looks to be a cinch for the Fernungs based on the early results. With the six races of the Florida Sire Stakes coming up soon the Khozan colts and fillies who have already been successful will have many more chances to add to the stallion's earnings.
HALLANDALE BEACH - Gulfstream Park’s 20-cent Rainbow 6 was hit again Saturday by one bettor for $173,583. It comes just 10 days after it was last hit on June 27 for $3.151 million. Saturday’s sequence ended with long shot Blind Ruckus ($54.60) winning the 12th and final race. Blind Ruckus was one of two horses with tickets alive going into the last leg. The other was on Chirping, who finished fourth. The Rainbow 6 begins anew today with the sequence spanning races 6-11. There will be a Super Hi 5 carryover of $3,492.19.
The $75,000 Mecke Stakes will headline the program in Race 5. Carl Lizza Racing Stables Uno Emayo will be seeking his third victory in a row and fourth in five starts in the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes named for the multiple Gr. 1 stakes-winner on dirt and turf campaigned by trainer Manny Tortora in the 1990s. Trained by Lilli Kurtinecz, the 6-year-old gelding who won the Lil Magician starter stakes in February, is coming off back-to-back optional claiming starter allowances in going-away fashion. Mecke was a multiple graded winner bred by Farnsworth Farms, owned by James Lewis Jr., and trained by Tortora. He won the Gr. I Arlington Million, Gr. I Early Times Turf Classic and Gr. I Super Derby, and finished fifth in the 1995 Kentucky Derby.
LAUREL, MD – There was one winning ticket in today’s Stronach 5, and that ticket was worth a whopping $131,942. The Stronach 5 began and ended with favorites, but the three races between brought big payoffs.
The sequence started with favored Gunslinger winning the eighth race at Laurel Park. Long shots then lit up the sequence with Boom Boom Gone ($23.40) winning Laurel’s ninth, Farley ($18) winning Gulfstream’s seventh, and South Pass ($115.20) winning Gulfstream’s eighth. The final leg went to even-money favorite Peace Speaker at Gulfstream ($4.20).
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – The 20-cent Rainbow 6 was solved for a jackpot payoff of $3,151,249 at Gulfstream Park Thursday. The multi-race wager had gone unsolved for 52 consecutive racing days. The winning combination was 4-8-7-3-2-4. A total of $347,510 was bet into the Rainbow 6 Thursday, when wagering on the six-race sequence started with a carryover of $2,873,391 from Sunday’s program. The Rainbow 6 will start anew today, spanning Races 4-9.
MILESTONES FOR TRAINER D'ANGELO, JOCKEY MARTINEZ
Trainer Jose D’Angelo saddled his first winner in the U.S. at Gulfstream Thursday, when Beach Dreaming ($5.40) put him in the winner’s circle following a 2 ¼-length victory in Race 5. Beach Dreaming, who was ridden by Leonel Reyes, defeated eight $12,500 claimers in his first start since being claimed by owner/trainer D’Angelo. He only had the luxury of the single victory, however, because the son of Treasure Beach was claimed away from him by Barry Rose for the same $12,500. “I’m from Venezuela. I was the champion last year,” D’Angelo said. “I’ve been training for five years. My dad [Francisco D’Angelo] was a champion trainer in Venezuela. He’s come to Miami for four years. I decided to come to Miami with my father and start training here.”
D’Angelo, who currently trains eight horses, finished second with his first two starters in the U.S. The first runner-up finish came in the 2017 Clasico Internacional del Caribe at Gulfstream with Venezuela-based Forze Mau in the Copa Velocidad. His first starter since relocating to Gulfstream Park, Cocktail Skirt, finished second by a nose in a $12,500 claiming race on June 8. One race earlier on the card, 10-pound apprentice Gaddiel Martinez notched his first career victory in race 4. The 20-year-old native of Puerto Rico guided Respondingtoglobal ($25.20) to a two-length score in the mile race for $10,000 maiden claimers. Martinez made his first trip to the winner’s circle on his 19th mount in the U.S. after going winless on 96 mounts at Camarero Race Track in Puerto Rico.
Pick 6 players who have the determination and a bankroll to match have a chance for life-changing opportunities today and tomorrow at Belmont Park, Gulfstream Park and Churchill Downs.
At Belmont today, the Pick 6 carryover stands at $500,311, and that's a regular pool, not a Rainbow.
Tomorrow, there are two lucrative Rainbows, the big one of $2,873,391 at Gulfstream and $294,725 at Churchill.
HALLANDALE BEACH - The 20-cent Rainbow 6 carryover jackpot ballooned to $2,616,516 for Friday’s twilight card when the multi-race wager went unsolved today for the 49th consecutive program. First-race post time for Friday’s nine-race program is set for 2:15 p.m. Tickets will all six winners today were each worth $84,316.34. A total of $301,185 was bet into the pool, when wagering on the six-race sequence started with a carryover of $2,544,245 from Sunday’s program. There will also be a Super Hi-5 carryover of $7,420.61 heading into Friday’s program.
JARAMILLO CLOSES GAP: Emisael Jaramillo rode three winners on the program to climb to within six wins behind leading jockey Edgard Zayas with seven racing days remaining in the Spring Meet. Jaramillo, Venezuela’s all-time leading jockey in wins, scored three straight victories aboard Una Luna ($5.40) in Race 5, Amardine ($4.60) in Race 6 and Hardened ($12.60) in Race 7. Zayas notched one victory aboard Slingin Sammy B ($6) in Race 1.
Hip No. 748, a daughter of Into Mischief consigned by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent, went to OXO Equine LLC for a sale record $900,000 to top the third and final session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2019 June Sale of Two-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age. The bay filly, who turned in a quarter in :20 4/5 at Saturday’s Under Tack session, is a full sister to Gr. I stakes-placed Rowayton out of Rosemonde, by Indian Charlie. The price surpassed the previous record of $800,000 for a colt by City Zip in 2016. Hip No. 914, a daughter of Ghostzapper consigned by Gayle Woods, Agent for Eric A. Delvalle, was sold to Donato Lanni, Agent for Stetson Racing LLC, for $600,000. The bay filly, whose three eighths on Sunday in :32 3/5 was the sale’s co-fastest at the distance, is a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Come Dancing out of graded stakes-winner Tizahit, by Tiznow.
Nick J. Hines, Agent for Howg/BG Stable/Big Tufff, paid $325,000 for Hip No. 782, a son of Into Mischief consigned by Halcyon Hammock Farm, Agent. The dark bay or brown colt, who breezed a quarter in :21 1/5 on Saturday, is out of graded stakes-placed Sea Level Drive, by Malibu Moon, a half-sister to stakes-placed Cascade Rose.
Hip No. 721, Sunset Kitten, a daughter of Kitten’s Joy consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, was sold to Belladonna Racing LLC for $290,000. The dark bay or brown filly, who worked a quarter on Saturday in :21 2/5, is a full sister to Gr. I stakes-winner Real Solution out of Reachfortheheavens, by Pulpit.
Hip No. 947, a son of Speightstown consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, was purchased by David Ingordo for $180,000. The dark bay or brown colt, who breezed a quarter on Sunday in :21 2/5, is a half-brother to Gr. I stakes- winning millionaire and OBS graduate Stephanie’s Kitten out of Unfold the Rose, by Catienus.
Emerald Sales, Agent, went to $160,000 for Hip No. 869, Dontletsweetfoolya, a bay filly by Stay Thirsty consigned by Hemingway Racing and Training Stables LLC, Agent. Out of Stunning Electra, by Catienus, from the family of Gr. I stakes-winner Astrious, she breezed an eighth in :10 flat on Sunday.
Hip No. 724, a daughter of Conveyance consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, went to Rockingham Ranch for $150,000. The gray or roan filly, who breezed a quarter on Saturday in :20 4/5, is out of stakes- placed Rebecca’s Surprise, by Marino Marini, from the family of graded stakes-placed stakes-winner Monica Faye.
Hip No. 995, Hard Times, a bay colt by Khozan consigned by Journeyman Bloodstock Services, Inc. (Brent & Crystal Fernung), Agent, went to Tommy Fackler, Agent, for $150,000. Out of Wontoo, by Montbrook, from the family of Gr. I winner Elmhurst, he worked an eighth on Sunday in :10 flat.
Hip No. 1051, a son of Shackleford consigned by Pick View LLC, was sold to EQB, Inc., Patrice Miller, Agent, for $145,000. The bay colt, who breezed a quarter on Sunday in :21 1/5, is a half-brother to graded stakes-placed stakes- winner Safe Trip out of Teruko, by Coronado’s Quest.
Ben Perkins, Jr., Agent, went to $140,000 for Hip No. 949, a daughter of Khozan consigned by Paul Sharp, Agent. The bay filly, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat on Sunday, is out of Unwooed, by Dixie Union, a half-sister to graded stakes-winning OBS graduate Voice of Destiny.
Hip No. 865, a son of New Year’s Day consigned by Parrish Farms, Agent, was sold to K.O.I.D. Co., Ltd. for $130,000. The chestnut colt, who worked a quarter in :21 flat on Sunday, is a half-brother to graded stakes-winner Stormy Embrace out of Stormy Allure, by Stormy Atlantic.
For the session, 183 horses sold for $7,426,100, compared with 183 selling for $5,824,500 at last year’s third session. The average was $40,580, up 27.5% compared with $31,828 a year ago, while the median price rose 30.8% to $17,000, compared to $13,000 in 2018. The buyback percentage was 17.2%; it was 22.8% last year.
Nine older horses sold for $69,200 compared to five bringing a total of $96,500 in 2018. For the entire sale, 609 2-year-olds sold for $21,493,300 compared with 530 horses grossing $17,231,000 a year ago. The average was $35,293, up 8.6% compared to $32,511 a year ago, while the median price was $17,000, up 13.3% compared with $15,000 in 2018. The buyback percentage was 19.4%; it was 20.3% last year.
Hip No. 653, a daughter of Ghostzapper consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, was sold to Backstretch Farms Inc. for $445,000 to top the second session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2019 June Sale of Two-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age. The bay filly, whose eighth in :9 4/5 at Saturday’s Under Tack session was co-fastest at the distance, is out of graded stakes-winner Palanka City, by Carson City, a full sister to graded stakes-placed stakes-winner Quick Action. Nick J. Hines, Agent, went to $260,000 for Hip No. 672, a gray or roan colt by Graydar consigned by Costanzo Sales, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat on Saturday. The gray or roan colt is a half-brother to graded stakes-placed Zulfikhar out of stakes-placed Pink Diamond, by Mineshaft.
Hip No. 572, a son of Uncle Mo consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, went to East Hickman Bloodstock for $255,000. The dark bay or brown colt, who breezed an eighth on Friday in :10 flat, is a half-brother to graded stakes-placed Sawyer’s Mill out of Gr. I stakes-placed Modification, by Vindication.
Hip No. 457, a daughter of More Than Ready consigned by Niall Brennan Stables, Agent, was sold to Mike Ryan, Agent, for $225,000. The dark bay or brown filly, who worked an eighth in :10 flat on Friday, is out of stakes-winner Knit One Purr Two, by Tale of the Cat, from the family of graded stakes- winner With Distinction.
McMahon and Hill Bloodstock, Agent, went to $210,000 for Hip No. 438, a son of Tiznow consigned by Randy Bradshaw, Agent. The bay colt, who turned in a quarter in :21 2/5 on Friday, is out of graded stakes-winner Juanita, by Mineshaft.
Hip No 437, a son of Tiznow consigned by Twin Oaks Training Center, Agent, was purchased for $200,000 by Calumet Farm. The gray or roan colt, who worked an eighth on Friday in :10 3/5, is out of J. Quirk, by Unbridled’s Song, a half-sister to stakes-placed Srikinglybeautiful.
Hip No. 634, a daughter of Carpe Diem consigned by Mayberry Farm, Agent, was sold to Batchelor Family Trust for $200,000. The chestnut filly is a half-sister to newly graded stakes-placed Third Day, third in Keeneland’s Gr. III Ben Ali Sakes on April 13, out of stakes-winner Onebadkitty, by Street Cry (IRE), a full sister to stakes-winner Jaws N’ Paws.
Larry Zap, Agent for Joseph Ciaglia, Jr., went to $180,000 for Hip No. 609, a dark bay or brown colt by Raison d’Etat whose quarter on Friday in :20 4/5 was the session’s co-fastest. Consigned by Hoppel’s Horse & Cattle Co., Inc., Agent, he’s out of Neith, by Dynaformer, a half-sister to graded stakes-placed stakes-winner Lady Chace.
Hip No. 388, a daughter of Adios Charlie consigned by Ocala Stud, went to Hal Queen for $160,000. The gray or roan filly, whose quarter in :20 4/5 was co-fastest at the distance at Thursday’s Under Tack session, is a half-sister to stakes-placed Angel’s Tune out of Holiday Tune, by Concorde’s Tune, a half- sister to graded stakes-winner R Holiday Mood.
For the session, 202 horses sold for a total of $7,359,700, compared with 168 selling for a total of $4,765,500 at last year’s second session. The average was $36,434, up 28.4% from $28,366 a year ago, while the median price was $17,500, up 34.6% from $13,000 in 2018. The buyback percentage was 25.7%; it was 20% last year.
Hip No. 277, a son of Tapit consigned by Pick View LLC, Agent, went to M Racing for $400,000 to top the first session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2019 June Sale of Two-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age. The chestnut colt, a half-brother to multiple Gr. I stakes-winner Verrazano, who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 at Thursday’s Under Tack session, is out of Enchanted Rock, by Giant’s Causeway. Hip No. 254, a son of Distorted Humor consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, was sold to Team Casse, Agent, for $290,000. The bay colt, whose eighth in :9 4/5 was the fastest at the distance at Thursday’s Under Tack session, is a three-quarter brother to stakes-winner Out for a Spin out of Driven, by Forestry.
Phil & Christine Hatfield paid $280,000 for Hip No. 256, a daughter of Constitution consigned by Potrero Stables. The bay filly, who worked a quarter in :21 flat on Thursday, is a half-sister to stakes- winner Molto Bella out of Gr. I stakes-winning OBS June graduate Dr. Zic, by Milwaukee Brew, the very first horse purchased by Marette Farrell Bloodstock.
Hip No. 100, a son of Daredevil consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, was sold to Reddam Racing LLC for $245,000. The dark bay or brown colt, whose quarter at Wednesday’s Under Tack session in :20 3/5 was the sale’s co-fastest at the distance, is out of Bible, by U S Ranger, from the family of Gr. I stakes-winner Corinthian.
Hip No. 186, Hospitality, a daughter of Quality Road consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, was purchased by Emerald Sales for Tobey L. Morton / John C. Kimmel, for $230,000. The bay filly, who worked an eighth on Wednesday in :10 flat, is a half-sister to stakes-winner Giza Goddess out of Comfort and Joy, by Harlan’s Holiday.
Hip No. 40, a son of Race Day consigned by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent, went to Marc Tacher for $170,000. The gray or roan colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat at Wednesday’s Under Tack session, is out of Annabird, by Flower Alley, a half-sister to Gr. I stakes-placed stakes-winner Achiever’s Legacy.
For the session, 187 horses grossed $6,119,500, compared with 179 selling for a total of $6,641,100 at last year’s first session. The average was $32,725 compared with $37,101 a year ago, while the median price was $20,000, up from $18,000 in 2018. The buyback percentage was 28.9%; it was 17.9.% last year.
A couple of months ago, Journeyman Stud owners Brent and Crystal Fernung predicted - in print - that Khozan would wind up being Florida's leading freshman sire at the end of this year. If not, the first 25 breeders who sent mares to him during the current breeding season would not have to pay the $4,000 stud fee. At this early juncture of the juvenile season, they Fernungs look pretty safe.
Not only has Khozan opened up a substantial lead in the limited Florida race, he's also well on top against every frosh sire in the country. A couple of winners over the weekend at Gulfstream have given the son of Distorted Humor five already and nobody else on the list has more than three. As far as the money list is concerned, his $250,460 in progeny earnings dwarfs that of early runner-up Frac Daddy's $106,305, and the $94,879 of third-place American Pharoah, the pre-season favorite based on the outrageous number of registered mares (162) listed next to his name.
Khozan, with 73 registered mares, took over the national money lead on May 11, so it's been just over one month. It will be interesting to see how long he can keep it. The Florida title appears to be a slam dunk, unless another sire goes bananas somewhere along the way, like Ocala Stud's The Big Beast (63).
NOT SO OBJECTIVE - TVG is supposed to be an objective group, although its coverage of the California tracks is overwhelming most of the time. But there are other areas where there is no excuse for leaning one way or another - everybody should get an equal shot. On Saturday, prior to the Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont, every analyst on the broadcast picked against Midnight Bisou, which is fine.
However, after Midnight Bisou won the race, my friend Todd Schrupp threw in that she was a Keeneland Sales graduate. Keeneland, of course, is a major sponsor on TVG, and the analysts have an obligation to mention their sales horses. That's also fine. But that doesn't mean that they should be ignoring the other companies, and in this case, it was a serious blunder.
Midnight Bisou was entered by Woodford Thoroughbreds in the Keeneland September yearling sale in 2016 and did not get sold. She was a $19,000 RNA. Woodford sent her back in the 2017 OBS April sale and she was purchased for $80,000 by Jeffrey Bloom, now listed as a co-owner. So to call her a "Keeneland Sales graduate" doesn't do the story justice and gives viewers a distorted picture of her sales background. TVG's obligation should be impartial in that regard.
If TVG wants to pump up Keeneland whenever it can in response to advertising dollars, good. But to ignore the other companies in relevant situations such as the one above is wrong.
GETTING WORSE - The dire situation of short fields - everywhere - is clearly evident today when checking over the program at Belmont Park. There are five entered in races 1 and 3, race 2 has six, and races 5 and 7 have seven. That's 30 horses for five races. And it doesn't appear to be getting any better - anywhere.
HALLANDALE BEACH - A 20-cent Rainbow 6 carryover jackpot of $2,146,645 will only add to the excitement Saturday at Gulfstream Park, where a 12-race live program will be run in conjunction with Florida’s best Belmont Stakes watch party.The Rainbow 6 carryover jackpot went unsolved for the 42nd consecutive racing day today, when multiple tickets with six winners were each worth $706. Saturday’s first-race post time is set for 12:35 p.m. First post for Belmont’s 13-race program with eight Gr.1 stakes is scheduled for 11:35 a.m. Silks, Gulfstream’s simulcast facility, will open at 10:30 a.m. Gulfstream will offer a watch party in Ten Palms and souvenir glasses featuring the Belmont Jewel for $12 throughout the property. A total of $202,606 was bet into the Rainbow 6, when wagering on the six-race sequence started with a carryover of $2,095,629 from Thursday’s program. Saturday’s sequence will span Races 7-12, highlighted by the $100,000 Soldier’s Dancer, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for 3-year-olds and up carded as Race 10.
Itsmyluckycharm Returns to Winning Form Her streak of five straight first-place finishes broken in the Honey Ryder last time out, Itsmyluckycharm returned to winning form at Friday, romping to a six-length triumph in the $75,000 Portofino Bay Stakes. Trained by Eddie Plesa Jr. for his wife, Laurie, Itsmyluckycharm received a ground-saving trip under Albin Jimenez to prevail over five rivals in the seven-furlong stakes for 3-year-old fillies that was transferred from the turf course to the sloppy main track. “She sat pretty good for me. When I saw the horse in front of me going out, I saw a big hole, so I said, ‘Why not?’ Jimenez said. “She was just waiting for me to ask her.” Itsmyluckycharm, the 6-5 favorite, settled a few lengths off pacesetter Jolie Bay, who was pressed by Sweet Hitch Hiker and stalked on the outside by Devious Charm. Jolie Bay showed the way into the stretch while drifting to the outside, providing Itsmyluckycharm more than enough room to launch her winning drive. Devious Charm edged Sweet Hitch Hiker for second. The versatile Itsmyluckycharm, a daughter of the Plesa-trained Itsmyluckyday, registered her sixth career victory and third on a dirt surface while running seven furlongs in 1:23.25. Prior to the Honey Ryder, she won four straight races before finishing first and being disqualified for interference.
Hip No. 100, a son of Daredevil consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, breezed a quarter in :20 3/5 to post the fastest work at the distance at the first session of the Under Tack Show for Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2019 June Two Year Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age Sale. The dark bay or brown colt is out of Bible, by U S Ranger, from the family of grade one stakes winner Corinthian. Hip No. 199, a chestnut filly by City Zip consigned by Mark White, Agent, turned in the session’s fastest eighth, stopping the timer in :9 4/5. She’s out of Court Appeal, by Candy Ride (ARG), a half sister to grade one stakes winner Mani Bhavan. Two horses worked quarters in :20 4/5. Hip No. 46, My Little Rose, a chestnut filly by Field Commission consigned by Nice and Easy Thoroughbreds, Agent, is out of Arabian Rose, by Saint Anddan, from the family of champion Star de Naskra.
Hip No. 172, Ladies Luv Munny, consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, is a chestnut filly by Can the Man out of Circle the World, by Munnings, from the family of grade one winner Circular Quay. There were three quarters in :21 flat. Hip No. 82, consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, is a bay filly by Majesticperfection out of Beautiful Greeley, by Mr. Greeley, a half sister to stakes placed Srikinglybeautiful from the family of horse of the year Tiznow.
Hip No. 183, Mighty Fast, a dark bay or brown colt by Flat Out consigned by Azpurua Stables, Agent, is a half brother to stakes placed Provincial out of Colonial Review, by Pleasant Colony, a full sister to graded stakes winner Dance Colony.
Hip No. 192, a bay colt by Competitive Edge consigned by Brick City Thoroughbreds, is a half brother to graded stakes winner Globetrotter out of Cool Slew, by Seattle Slew. Four horses worked quarters in :21 1/5. Hip No. 26, consigned by Team Work Racing Corp., Agent, is a chestnut filly by Biondetti out of All Thrill, by Gulf Storm, from the family of millionaire graded stakes winning OBS graduate Duke of Mischief.
Hip No. 50, a dark bay or brown colt by Uncaptured consigned by Hemingway Racing and Training Stables LLC, Agent, is out of Arrumosis, by Hold Me Back, from the family of stakes winner Dancing Dreams.
Hip No. 116, a bay colt Lemon Drop Kid consigned by Whitman Sales LLC, Agent, is out of Bourbonstateofmind, by Street Sense, a half sister to grade one stakes placed Ginger Pop.
Hip No. 204, Maclean’s Legacy, a chestnut colt by Maclean’s Music consigned by Race Ready Sales (Michael Caraman), Agent, is a half brother to graded stakes placed Great Point out of Crafty Queen, by Crafty Prospector. There were nine eighths in :10 flat. Hip No. 37, Lil Bro, a dark bay or brown colt by Fury Kapcori consigned by Craig L. Wheeler, Agent, is a half brother to graded stakes winner Areyoutalkintome out of Andrea Gail, by Storm Bird.
Hip No. 40, a gray or roan colt by Race Day consigned by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent, is out of Annabird, by Flower Alley, a half sister to grade one stakes placed stakes winner Achiever’s Legacy.
Hip No. 45, a bay filly by Carpe Diem consigned by Eddie Woods, is a half sister to stakes placed Aquamarine out of April True, by Yes It’s True.
Hip No. 56, consigned by Grassroots Training & Sales LLC, is a bay filly by Super Ninety Nine out of Atlantic Tide, by Stormy Atlantic, a daughter of stakes winning OBS graduate Scapade.
Hip No. 101, a chestnut filly by Fast Anna consigned by Craig L. Wheeler, Agent, is a half sister to stakes placed Big Bobby Brown out of Big Brown Kitty, by Big Brown, a half sister to graded stakes placed stakes winner Flashy Ways.
Hip No. 153, consigned by Kings Equine, Agent, is a dark bay or brown colt by Bernardini out of Causeway Lady, by Giant’s Causeway, a daughter of millionaire graded stakes winner Mystic Lady.
Hip No. 170, a dark bay or brown filly by Commissioner consigned by Bobby Dodd, Agent, is out of Chosen Road, by Quality Road, a half sister to graded stakes winner Lemon Maid.
Hip No. 186, Hospitality, a bay filly by Quality Road consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, is a half sister to stakes winner Giza Goddess out of Comfort and Joy, by Harlan’s Holiday.
Hip No. 210, a chestnut colt by Competitive Edge consigned by Julie Davies LLC, Agent, is a half brother to stakes placed OBS graduate Crystal Rosario out of Crystal Image, by Halo’s Image, a full sister to graded stakes placed OBS graduate Izzie’s Halo.
Hip No. 77, a dark bay or brown colt by Global Response consigned by Victory Stable, Agent, breezed the day’s fastest three eighths, clocked in :34 flat. He’s out of stakes winner Bay Street Gal, by Marco Bay, from the family of grade one stakes winning millionaire OBS graduate Midnight Bisou. Hip No. 71, a chestnut filly by Verrazano consigned by 30-30 Ranch worked a half mile, timed in :47 flat. She’s out of stakes winner Barbette, by High Yield, a half sister to graded stakes winner Diamond On the Run.
HALLANDALE BEACH - The 20-cent Rainbow 6 carryover jackpot for Wednesday’s program at Gulfstream Park ballooned to $1,977,432.89 Sunday when the multi-race wager went unsolved for the 39th consecutive day. Multiple tickets with six winners were each worth $13,578. A total of $375,446 was wagered into the Rainbow 6, when wagering on the six-race sequence started with a carryover of $1,887,346 from Saturday’s program. First-race post time for the special eight-race program Wednesday is set for 1:15 p.m. The Rainbow 6 sequence will begin with the third race. There will also be a Super Hi 5 carryover of $3,143.
STILL IN THE LEAD - Journeyman Stud's Khozan has now spent 34 days on top of the nation's freshman sire list, and he's currently nearly $49,000 ahead of runner-up Frac Daddy. American Pharoah is another $11,000-plus behind in third.
On May 10, Journeyman Stud's Khozan took over the early freshman sire lead in the U. S., with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah second. It has been 21 days since, and Khozan is still in front with progeny earnings of $118,080 and two winners. The son of Distorted Humor has 73 registered foals.
However, American Pharoah, who will be difficult to beat since he has 162 foals, is no longer second. That place has been taken over by Frac Daddy, who has just 31 foals, and current earnings of $104,325. The trio are among six stallions with two winners.
Florida's current runner-up to Khozan is Double Diamond Farm's Bahamian Squall, with one winner and earnings of $50,600. He's ninth on the U. S. list.
LOTS OF $$$$ ON THE LINE - Gulfstream Park's ballooning Rainbow 6 jackpot will start out with more than $1.7 million in the carryover pool today, but Santa Anita's is also life-changing at $869,976.
HALLANDALE BEACH - Gulfstream Park’s Thursday program will have a 20-cent Rainbow 6 carryover of $1,292,010. The Rainbow 6 will kick off Thursday with the fourth race, a maiden claiming event at 6 ½ furlongs. First race post is 1:15 p.m.
The Rainbow 6 has gone 29 race days without being solved with a single winning ticket. Multiple tickets with all six winners Sunday returned $12,127, with Happy Hat, a 25-1 shot, winning the final leg. There will also be a Super Hi 5 carryover of $1,795. Third Time the Charm for Regally-Bred River Front River Front, a 4-year-old colt by War Front out of Horse of the Year Havre de Grace, won Sunday’s sixth race, a mile special weight event, by a neck in 1:37.44. Owned and bred by Whisper Hill Farm and trained by Ralph Nicks, River Front responded when headed down the stretch under jockey Edgard Zayas. The colt raced in June of last year before returning in April and finishing second.
BALTIMORE - The 144th running of the Preakness Stakes set an all-time total handle record Saturday of $99,852,653. That topped the previous mark of $97,168,658 set in 2017. Attendance was 131,256. War of Will, one of the protagonists who was moved up to seventh in the Kentucky Derby after a troubled trip, carried jockey Tyler Gaffalione and trainer Mark Casse to their first victories in a Triple Crown event. The race went without Maximum Security, who won the Derby only to be disqualified and placed 17th, and Country House, the original runner-up who was elevated to first.
The 14-race card was also highlighted by Catholic Boy winning $250,000 Dixie, Lexitonian winning the $200,000 Chick Lang and Mitchell Road winning the $150,000 Gallorette. “The 144th Preakness Stakes surpassed our expectations thanks to the horsemen and fans who came to celebrate this grand Maryland tradition,” said Belinda Stronach, Chairman and President. “It makes for an unforgettable day of entertainment when you combine the world’s top performers with the best thoroughbred horses and jockeys at one of the most celebrated sporting events. The Preakness is second to none."
On May 10, Khozan celebrated day one as America's leading freshman sire, a position he's not likely to hold since American Pharoah has 162 registered foals and a star-studded book of mares. But, Brent and Crystal Fernung at Journeyman Stud are allowed to smile at the circumstances, especially since it's been nine days and Khozan is still on top.
As of today, both stallions have two winners, but Khozan's progeny earnings - $116,580 - top Pharoah's $88,764 by $27,816.