HALLANDALE BEACH - Apprentice Joseph Trejos continued to flash star quality at Gulfstream Park while producing a four-win afternoon on Friday. Trejos, who rode his first winner in the U. S. at Gulfstream on April 18 after winning 44 races in Panama, has won 29 races during the Spring/Summer Meet. A graduate of the Laffit Pincay Jr. jockey school, where he was selected as the outstanding rider in his December 2018 graduating class, Trejos swept both ends of the early double aboard Josefa ($15.20) in race 1 and Mister Leonardo ($30) in race 2, both of whom were saddled by Antonio Sano. The 23-year-old, five-pound bug boy followed up with back-to-back victories aboard R Calli Kim ($10.40) in race 4 and Matraca ($6.40) in race 5. Rainbow 6 Carryover Jackpot Guaranteed Today’s 20-cent Rainbow 6 carryover jackpot will be guaranteed at $400,000. The multi-race wager went unsolved for the fifth consecutive day Friday, and multiple tickets with six winners were each worth $681. Today’s sequence will span Races 7-12, featuring a mile optional claiming allowance on turf for 3-year-olds and up in Race 11. Live Oak Plantation’s Souper Jaguar will seek to repeat a recent front-running score against Florida-bred competition at the same non-winners-of-one-other-than level.
‘Yesterday’ Looks to Recapture Past in Portofino Bay
Yesterdayoncemore will look to recapture her winning form in Sunday’s $60,000 Portofino Baby, a 1 1/16-mile overnight turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
Trained by Patrick Biancone, the Irish-bred daughter of No Nay Never has gone winless in four starts since scoring in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf in her Sept. 2, 2019 U.S. debut. Owned by D P Racing LLC, Mrs. Paul Shanahan and Mrs. M. V. Magnier, Yesterdayoncemore, who ran five times in Ireland, broke her maiden in the Del Mar stakes. She finished off the board in her next three races before finishing an unlucky second while coming off a four-month layoff in a June 28 optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream. Luca Panici has the return mount. Arindel’s Onyx, a two-time stakes-winner last year, will also be trying to recapture her winning form after finishing well back in her three starts this year. Emisael Jaramillo, who was aboard for Onyx’s stakes success, has the return mount. Mijet, Freret, Tournesol, Days of Spring – all winners in their most recent races, and Blue Mistress, round out the field.
HALLANDALE BEACH - Gulfstream Park’s special Tuesday program will feature mandatory payouts of the 20-cent Rainbow 6, 50-cent Late Pick 5 and $1 Super Hi 5. The Rainbow pool could reach $3 million. First race post is noon.
The Rainbow 6 begins with race 4, a maiden event for fillies and mares going five furlongs on the turf. There will be three turf races in the sequence, including the seventh race, an allowance optional claiming event at five furlongs for 3-year-olds with a purse of $54,500. The sequence wraps up with another five furlong turf event for claiming fillies and mares. Multiple tickets with six winners today were each worth $9,004. NOTES: Summer in the City, a 3-year-old filly by Summer Front ridden by Edgard Zayas, drove past a game She’s Just Quality down the stretch to win today’s sixth race, a maiden special weight event over a mile turf course. Making her third start for trainer Todd Pletcher, Summer in the City covered the mile in 1:35.98. Zayas rode three winners - along with Summer in the City he took the fourth aboard Gran Old Parr ($4.80) and the 10th on Lovely Luvy ($5.80).
HALLANDALE BEACH - Led by Florida Derby winner Tiz the Law, there are three horses representing Gulfstream Park in Saturday’s Belmont Stakes and they are rated first, second and third in the morning-line. Sackatoga Stable’s Tiz the Law was installed at 6-5 in the morning line for the 1 1/8-mile Belmont, the traditional third jewel of the Triple Crown that will kick off the Spring Classics series due to the post postponements of the Kentucky Derby to Sept. 5 and the Preakness Stakes to Oct. 3. Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Andie Biancone’s Sole Volante, who is coming off a sharp stakes-quality allowance score at Gulfstream, was rated second at 9-2, while St. Elias Stable’s Dr. Post, who captured the Unbridled Stakes at Gulfstream last time out, was rated third at 5-1 in a field of 10 3-year-olds entered today at Belmont Park. Barclay Tagg-trained Tiz the Law, who captured the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park last year, was 2-for-2 this year during Gulfstream’s Championship Meet. The son of Constitution rolled to a three-length score in the Gr. III Holy Bull, defeating Ete Indien, who came back to capture the Gr. II Fountain of Youth by 8 ½ lengths. Tiz the Law, who sat out the Fountain of Youth, stamped himself as the Triple Crown favorite with a dominating 4 ¼-length victory in the Florida Derby. Manuel Franco has the return mount Saturday. Patrick Biancone-trained Sole Volante, who began his career with a debut victory and a stakes triumph on turf last year, finished third in the Jan. 4 Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream in his dirt debut. The son of Karakontie went on to capture the Gr. III Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs by 2 ½ lengths and finish second behind King Guillermo in the Gr. II Tampa Bay Derby. He returned from a three-month layoff to prep for the Belmont, winning an allowance in which he closed from last to score by three-quarters of a length under a hand ride by Luca Panici, who has the call again Saturday. Todd Pletcher-trained Dr Post enters the Belmont off back-to-back impressive victories at Gulfstream. The son of Quality Road returned from a long layoff since finishing fourth in his July 4 debut at Belmont, breaking his maiden by 1 1/4 lengths on March 29, going seven furlongs. He stretched out in his next start in the 1 1/16-mile Unbridled Stakes, defeating graded stakes-placed Attachment Rate by 1 ½ lengths. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the return call. Tap It to Win (6-1), Pneumatic (8-1) Max Player (15-1), Modernist (15-1), Farmington Road (15-1), Fore Left (30-1), Jungle Runner (50-1) round out the Belmont field. Friday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $200,000.
The multi-race wager went unsolved today for the second racing day since last Saturday’s mandatory payout. Multiple tickets with all six winners were worth $7,152.
Hip No. 1018, a son of Quality Road consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc., (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, went to Ben McElroy, Agent for Arman Shah, for $1,250,000 to top the fourth and final session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2020 Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. The bay colt, who breezed a quarter in :20 3/5 at Friday’s Under Tack Session, is a half brother to graded stakes placed stakes winner Standard Deviation out of False Impression, by A.P. Indy. Hip No. 1312, Fortunate Son, a son of Speightster consigned by Tom McCrocklin, Agent, was purchased by OXO Equine LLC for $1,100,000. The chestnut colt, who breezed a quarter on Saturday in :20 4/5, is out of stakes placed Auspicious, by Indian Charlie, a half sister to graded stakes placed Flatter Than Me.
Hip No. 1298, a son of California Chrome consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, went to West Bloodstock for Repole Stable Inc/St. Elias Stable for $725,000. The gray or roan colt, who turned in an Under Tack quarter on Friday in :20 3/5, is out of Diva Style, by Unbridled’s Song, a half sister to classic contender Tiz the Law.
Hip No. 1299, a daughter of Liam’s Map consigned by Cary Frommer LLC, Agent, who worked Friday’s fastest eighth in :9 4/5, was sold to Rigney Racing LLC for $700,000. The dark bay or brown filly is out of Ebony Moment, by Smart Strike, a daughter of graded stakes winner Ebony Breeze.
Hip No. 953, a son of Not This Time consigned by Julie Davies LLC, Agent, was sold to Marc Tacher for $575,000. The chestnut colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat on Friday, is out of Delightful Melody, by Tapit, a daughter of graded stakes winner Bending Strings.
Hip No. 982, a son of Shackleford consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, went to Justin Casse, Agent, for $550,000. The chestnut colt, who sped a quarter in :20 3/5 on Friday, is a half brother to champion Monomoy Girl and current 3-year-old graded stakes winner Mr. Monomoy out of Drumette, by Henny Hughes.
Hip No. 1175, a son of Kantharos who breezed an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat on Saturday, was sold to Frank Fletcher Racing Operations for $500,000. Consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, the chestnut colt is out of Illicit Affair, by Midnight Lute, a daughter of champion Silverbulletday.
Summer Wind Equine paid $500,000 for Hip No. 1310, a daughter of Malibu Moon whose quarter in :20 3/5 was co-fastest at the distance on Saturday. The bay filly, consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, is out of stakes placed Iroquois Girl, by Indian Charlie, a half sister to graded stakes winner Salty Strike.
Joseph Brocklebank, Agent, went to $475,000 for Hip No. 1060, a daughter of Empire Maker consigned by Halcyon Hammock Farm, Agent. The bay filly, who worked an eighth in :10 flat on Saturday, is out of Full Tap, by Tapit, a daughter of stakes winner Miss Challenge.
Hip No. 1149, a son of Hard Spun consigned by Eisaman Equine, Agent, was purchased for $400,000 by Belladonna Racing II, LLC. The dark bay or brown filly, who turned in an Under Tack eighth on Saturday in :10 flat, is out of High Wire Act, by Medallist, a half sister to graded stakes placed stakes winner Not Abroad.
Hip No. 1314, a son of Flatter also consigned by Tom McCrocklin, was sold for $400,000 to J. A. S. The bay colt, who turned in a quarter in :20 4/5 on Saturday, is a full brother to graded stakes winning OBS graduate Favorable Outcome out of stakes winner Shananies Song, by Eltish.
Donato Lanni, Agent for Michael Lund Petersen, went to $375,000 for Hip No. 1226, a son of Twirling Candy consigned by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent. The dark bay or brown colt, who worked an eighth in :10 flat on Saturday, is a half brother to stakes winner Saythreehailmary’s out of Just Call Me Angel, by Devil’s Bag.
Hip No. 1219, a daughter of Bernardini consigned by Niall Brennan Stables, Agent, went to Marette Farrell, Agent for Exline-Border Racing, for $325,000. The bay filly, who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 on Saturday, is out of J. Quirk, by Unbridled’s Song, a half sister to stakes placed Srikinglybeautiful.
Hip No. 976, a daughter of The Factor consigned by RiceHorse Stable (Brandon & Ali Rice), Agent, was sold to Willis Horton Racing LLC for $300,000. The gray or roan filly, who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 on Friday, is a half sister to stakes placed Caught Dream’n out of graded stakes placed Dream, by Malibu Moon.
Hip No. 1304, a son of Into Mischief consigned by Hartley / DeRenzo Thoroughbreds LLC, Agent, was sold to Jerry Durant for $300,000. The bay colt, who breezed an eighth on Saturday in :10 flat, is out of Fruhl’s Gold, by Crafty Prospector, from the family of Street Boss.
For the day, 161 horses brought $18,514,500 compared with 155 selling for a total of $16,728,000 last year. The average price was $114,997, up 6.5% compared to $107,923 in 2019, while the median price was $50,000, identical to last year’s figure. The buyback percentage was 15.7%; it was 22.5% in 2019. For the entire sale, 635 horses sold for a total of $58,905,000 compared with 674 horses bringing a sale record $72,945,000 in 2019. The average price was $92,764, compared with 2019’s sale record $108,227. The median was $50,000 compared with last year’s record $60,000. The buyback percentage was 18.4%; it was 19.8% a year ago.
HALLANDALE BEACH - Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Andie Biancone’s Sole Volante rallied from last to capture Wednesday’s featured race for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream Park while prepping for a possible run in the June 20 Belmont Stakes. The Patrick Biancone-trained gelding, who was making his first start since finishing second in the March 7 Tampa Bay Derby, took advantage of a hot pace contested by stablemate Ete Indien, the 3-5 favorite who hadn’t run since finishing third in the March 28 Florida Derby, and Shivaree, who was returning to action from a runner-up finish in the Florida Derby. The pacesetters set fractions of :23.09 and :45.10 for the first half-mile of the mile optional claiming allowance, while leading the way into the stretch. Sole Volante ($6.40) launched a wide rally on the far turn under Luca Panici and kicked in through the stretch to score by three-quarters of a length. Jesus’s Team, who rallied inside of Sole Volante, finished second, another three-quarters of a length ahead of Shivaree. Ete Indien, who captured the Feb. 29 Fountain of Youth by 8 ½ lengths, finished fourth under Florent Geroux while equipped with blinkers for the first time, another 4 ¼ lengths back. Sole Volante, who captured the Gr. III Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs, ran the mile in 1:34.75 to win his third stakes and fourth race overall in six career starts. “He’s a nice horse," Biancone said. "He’s improving. He’s a lighter horse. I think he needed the race less than Ete Indien. With Ete Indien, I think I may make a mistake to put the blinkers [on], because the other horse shaded him the whole way. It was a training race. I just want them to come out good. I cross my fingers.” Sole Volante has been pointed to either the Belmont Stakes or the July 11 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, while the July 18 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park has been the goal for Ete Indien. “I don’t think I’m going to change my mind - in five weeks, we’ll go to the Haskell with Ete Indien," Biancone said. "Concerning Sole Volante, my owner is very keen on running in the Belmont. We’ll have to wait for the horse to decide. We’ll see how he is the next few days. If he really comes up, we may go. If not, we’ll wait for the Blue Grass. One or the other.” Panici, who was unable to ride Sole Volante in the Tampa Bay Derby due to an injury, was impressed with the son of Karakontie. “It was perfect," Panici said. "He’s a horse that’s like a human. His brain is fabulous. The first part when he had to accelerate when he saw the horse in front, he was aggressive to pass the other horse. What more can I say? I’ve known him from the beginning, and he’s just a wonderful horse to ride. I have to thank all the connections to give me this huge opportunity. He’s just a really great horse.”
Trainer Ralph Nicks was hardly discouraged by Shivaree’s return off the layoff. They (Ete Indien and Shivaree) did all the work,” Nicks said. “We’ll look at the Blue Grass next.”
Hip No. 1250, a son of Ghostzapper consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, Agent, went to Ben McElroy, Agent for Arman Shah, for $750,000, topping Tuesday's first session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2020 Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. The bay colt, whose eighth in :9 4/5 was co-fastest at the distance at Monday’s Under Tack session, is out of Roberta Turner, by Smart Strike, a half-sister to graded stake-placed stakes-winner Foxy Danseur. Hip No. 129, a daughter of Into Mischief consigned by Woodford Thoroughbreds, Agent, was sold to Spendthrift Farm for $400,000. The bay filly, who worked a quarter on Sunday in :21 flat, is out of stakes-winner Midnight Visit, by Henny Hughes, a half-sister to graded stakes-placed Wild Chick.
Hip No. 209, a son of Air Force Blue consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc., (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, went to Justin Casse, Agent for M. V. Magnier, also for $400,000. The dark bay or brown colt, who turned in an Under Tack quarter on Monday in :20 4/5, is out of No Splits, by Smart Strike, and is a half-brother to stakes-placed Lucky Jingle.
Live Oak Plantation paid $350,000 for Hip No. 179, a daughter of Munnings consigned by Mayberry Farm, Agent. The dark bay or brown filly, who worked a quarter in :21 1/5 on Monday, is out of Mylitta, by Sky Mesa, a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Malossol.
Hip No. 1239, a daughter of Tapit consigned by S B M Training and Sales, Agent, went to Solis/Litt for $350,000. The chestnut filly, who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 on Sunday, is out of stakes-placed Miss Super Quick, by Rock Hard Ten, a half-sister to Gr. I stakes-winner Callback.
Hip No. 282, Speeding, a daughter of Into Mischief consigned by Gene Recio, Agent, was purchased by D. J. Stable LLC for $300,000. The bay filly, who worked an eighth in :10 flat on Monday, is out of Prancing, by Tapit, a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Dancing Solo.
Hip No. 1246, Wicked Pretty, a daughter of Violence consigned by Randy Bradshaw, Agent, went to Karl & Cathi Glassman, Eddie Plesa, Agent, for $280,000. The chestnut filly, who worked an eighth in :10 flat on Monday, is a half-sister to stakes-winner Appealing Spring out of Pretty Springs, by Wekiva Springs.
Hip No. 7, a son of Candy Ride (ARG) consigned by Six K’s Training & Sales LLC, Agent, went to Frank Fletcher Racing Stables for $250,000. The dark bay or brown colt, who breezed a quarter last Sunday in :21 flat, is out of Kenny Lane, by Forestry, a half-sister to graded stakes- placed stakes-winner Wasseema.
Hip No. 286, a daughter of Street Boss whose eighth in :9 4/5 was co-fastest at the distance on Monday, was sold for $230,000 to Steven W. Young, Agent. The chestnut filly, consigned by Grassroots Training & Sales LLC, is out of Pride of Place, by A.P. Indy, a full sister to Gr. I stakes-winner Flashing.
Jonathan Thomas, Agent, went to $225,000 for Hip No. 149, a bay colt by Blame out of Mommo, by Speightstown, from the family of Gr. I stakes-winner Siphonic. Consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc., (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, his quarter in :20 4/5 was co-fastest at the distance at Sunday’s Under Tack session.
E.B., Agent for West Point Thoroughbreds, Inc. went to $200,000 for Hip No. 2, a son of Not This Time out of stakes-winner Karen’s Silk, by High Cotton. The chestnut colt, who turned in an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5 on Sunday, was consigned by Gene Recio, Agent.
Hip No. 172, a son of Twirling Candy consigned by Cary Frommer LLC, Agent, was sold to Mike McCarty for $200,000. The bay colt, who breezed an eighth on Sunday in :10 1/5, is out of My Curlina, by Belong to Me, a half-sister to graded stakes-placed Victory Nor Defeat.
Hip No. 264, an Irish-bred daughter of Lope de Vega who breezed a quarter in :21 2/5 on Monday, went to Gold Mark Farm LLC for $200,000. The bay filly, consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, is out of Pirate Cove, by Lawman, and is a half-sister to graded stakes-winner High Heeled.
Hip No. 1235, a son of Candy Ride (ARG) consigned by Coastal Equine LLC (Jesse Hoppel), Agent, was sold to Clay Scherer, Agent for Flurry Racing Stable LLC, for $200,000. The bay colt, who worked an eighth in :10 flat on Sunday, is a half-brother to graded stakes-winner J Boys Echo and a half-brother to current 3-year-old Echo Town, winner of three of five starts and second by a head in the Bachelor Stakes at Oaklawn.
For the day, 133 horses brought a total of $12,166,500 compared with 166 selling for a total of $15,346,000 at last year’s opening session. The average price was $91,477, compared to $92,446 in 2019 while the median price was $50,000, compared with $55,000 a year ago. The buyback percentage was 30.7%; it was 21.3% last year.
HALLANDALE BEACH - The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $2.3 Million Wednesday at Gulfstream Park. The multi-race wager went unsolved for the 18th day Sunday, and multiple tickets with six winners were each worth $29,043. TheWednesday sequence will span Races 5-10, including an allowance for 3-year-olds in the Race 9 feature. The Patrick Biancone-trained duo of Ete Indien, the Gr. II Fountain of Youth winner and Gr. I Florida Derby third-place finisher, and Sole Volante, the Gr. III Sam F. Davis winner and Gr. II Tampa Bay Derby runner-up, have been entered in the mile allowance, which will also feature the return to action of Florida Derby runner-up Shivaree. Stakes-winners Soros and With Verve, as well as recent winners Jesus’s Team and Hard Lighting, are also entered. The Rainbow 6 sequence will be kicked off by a five-furlong maiden special weight race for 2-year-old fillies on the grass. Trainer Wesley Ward has two entrants – Amanzi Yimpilo, an Irish-bred daughter of No Nay Never who was bought at the 2019 Keeneland September sale for $300,000, and Shan’s Tiger, a daughter of Tale of the Cat owned by breeder Rodney Orr. Trainer Todd Pletcher will be represented by Lady Quintessa, a daughter of Munnings, while trainer Mark Casse will send out Baby Mo, a daughter of Upstart.
La Australiana Pulls off 14-1 Upset in Treasure Coast La Australiana surged late with a wide rally to pull off a 14-1 upset in Sunday’s $60,000 Treasure Coast. Trained by Juan Carlos Avila and owned by former Major League All-Star Victor Martinez, the connections of Kentucky Derby prospect King Guillermo, La Australiana rated well off the early pace that was contested by Always Shopping and Helping Lisa D through early fractions of :23.46 and :46.89 seconds in the 1 1/8-mile overnight turf stakes for fillies and mares. Jockey Leonel Reyes sent La Australiana seven-wide leaving the turn into the homestretch, and the 4-year-old daughter of Australia kicked in through the lane to prevail over a late- rallying Olympic Games by a neck. Zarina finished third, another 1 ¼ lengths back. La Australiana ran 1 1/8 miles over a firm turf course in 1:47.63 to notch her first stakes victory.
Tobys Heart, co-owned by Terry Hamilton and trainer Bryan Lynch, broke slowly in her debut in a $79,000 maiden special test today at Churchill Downs, then caught the leaders on the turn, took charge turning for home and bounded away to a 6-3/4 length score.
The victory was worth $45,400 for the 2-year-old daughter of Jack Milton, who had turned in an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5 and was purchased for $45,000 by Alistair Roden Bloodstock out of the Bold Arrow Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2020 OBS March Sale.
LAUREL, MD - The Stronach 5, which has consistently offered a strong return on investment, returns Friday with a $100,000 guaranteed pool, an industry-low 12-percent takeout, and races from Laurel Park, Gulfstream Park, Golden Gate Fields and Santa Anita Park The five-race sequence will begin at approximately 3:51 ET when 11 maiden 3-year-olds go to post in Laurel’s seventh race, a 1 1/16-mile turf event. Laurel’s eighth race, also a turf event, will serve as the third leg of the Stronach 5. The sequence will conclude with Santa Anita’s fourth race, a turf event for fillies and mares.
Friday’s races and sequence Leg One – Laurel Park 7th Race: (11 entries, 5 1/2 furlongs turf) 3:51 ET, 12:51 PT Leg Two –Gulfstream Park 9th Race: (9 entries, 1 1/16 mile) 4:13 ET, 1:13 PT Leg Three –Laurel Park 8th Race: (13 entries, 1 1/16 mile turf) 4:25 ET, 1:25 PT Leg Four –Golden Gate Fields 3rd Race: (8 entries, 5 furlongs) 4:54 ET, 1:54 PT Leg Five –Santa Anita Park 4th race: (9 entries, 1 mile turf) 5:09 ET, 2:09 PT The minimum wager on the multi-race, multi-track Stronach 5 is $1. If there are no tickets with five winners, the entire pool will be carried over to the next Friday. If a change in racing surface is made after the wagering closes, each selection on any ticket will be considered a winning selection. If a betting interest is scratched, that selection will be substituted with the favorite in the win pool when wagering closes.
HALLANDALE BEACH - The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $1.8 million today at Gulfstream Park. The multi-race wager went unsolved for the 13th consecutive racing day Saturday, when multiple ticket with all six winners were each worth $140,821. The huge payoff came after Sunsation ($112.20) won the 10th race and Atakan ($105.60) won the 11th and final leg of the sequence. The 11th race payoff also resulted in a Super Hi 5 carryover of $24,651. The Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 7-11, including the featured six-furlong optional claiming allowance carded as Race 8. Multiple stakes-winners Royal Squeeze and First Deal are prominent contenders in the field of six older horses.
Spring Meet Stakes Action Gears Up Next Weekend The Spring Meet stakes action at Gulfstream Park gears up next weekend with four stakes scheduled. The $100,000 Soldier’s Dancer, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for Florida-bred 3-year-olds and up; the $100,000 Ginger Punch, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for Florida-bred fillies and mares; and the $75,000 Game Face, a 6 ½-furlong dash for 3-year-old fillies, will be run next Saturday. The $60,000 Treasure Coast, a 1 1/8-mile overnight stakes on turf for fillies and mares, will be featured next Sunday.
Since 'Notes From North and South' hasn't been part of this space for a long time, how about a one-time return.
Note No. 1: One of the puzzling oddities of the sport is that every facet of the game is dissected, bisected and trisected from every angle by writers, bettors, management, various organizations and the vast horde of on-line tweeters and others who make comments - pro and con - at the end of the many racing columns they agree or disagree with. But nobody comments, at least publicly, on the errors that are apparent in a myriad of Equibase's race charts.
Serious bettors use the Equibase charts as if they are a bible, spotlighting final times, fractions, lengths behind at every call in the race, type of trip and a bevy of other stats. So, if there are errors in a chart, it can make a huge difference in how the big bettors attack the race.
Remember many years ago when Steven Crist led a crusade to report the fractions in hundredths instead of tenths so handicappers could get a better picture of the race? He got it done.
Latest case in point. In yesterday's fifth race at Tampa Bay Downs, David Flores achieved a rare accomplishment in a game that doesn't boast of that many rare accomplishments. Most of what runners or jockeys accomplish has been achieved many times before. But David, who has been living in Ocala since his retirement in 2017, won the race with a superior ride aboard Calypso Key. The accomplishment? David is also the trainer of the 5-year-old mare owned and bred by Firefly Racing.
I've seen jockey-trainer combos in the past, but not often. Clyde Martin comes to mind, and I think Robbie Davis did it for a while, too, but I'm not positive about him. Flores shot Calypso Key out of the gate and they raced in third place all the way down the backstretch before he slipped her through on the inside to win it. My problem? The Equibase chart has the mare in fifth place at the half, and it just wasn't so - she was third. So Calypso Key's position is incorrect at that juncture, as is the number of lengths she was behind the leader. For the once-in-a-while bettor, it won't make a difference. For the serious guys, only they know.
Another place where the Equibase chart-callers are extremely delinquent is in 'lengths behind,' usually down the backstretch. I have watched MANY horses who have been 16 to 20 lengths out of it after negotiating the first turn, or coming out of the chute, and the chart later has it as 12 or 13 or 14 lengths. I've seen many more where a horse was 10 lengths behind and the chart later showed it as 7 or 8 lengths. And these are races that I've re-checked one or more times to make sure I wasn't mistaken - and I wasn't.
Back in the early 90s, when I was the Florida breeding columnist for Racing Times, there were charts in my paper and in Daily Racing Form, constructed by each company's different chart-callers. I used to check both every day and found a great many differences between the calls in the two papers.
Note No. 2 - Flores retired in 2017 with 3,608 winners and purses earned of more than $150 million. He has been training for Firefly at Classic Mile in Ocala, and after Calypso Key ran poorly for two other jockeys, he came out of retirement and has been aboard the mare in her last four trips. Before yesterday he previously posted a second with her back on April 1. Last year, David was the trainer of Higgins, a back-to-back winner at Tampa on March 15 and April 14. His Mexican friend Jesus Castanon was the rider.
Note No. 3 - After 13 or 14 years riding in this country, super French jockey Julien Leparoux still can't get announcers and analysts to pronounce his name correctly. It's not Leppa-roo, as so many say, or Lay-paroo, which the rest spout. It's Le-paroo. The only two who have ever had it right are announcer Larry Collmus and analyst and handicapper Bob Neumeier. (I miss Larry Collmus).
Note No. 4 - Churchill Downs' latest announcer, Travis Stone, does an excellent job. His voice sounds a lot like Dave Johnson.
Note No. 5 - In Friday's eighth race at Tampa, a $5,000 claimer, Ronnie Allen guided Sum Overture from behind and into second place. Sum Overture went off at 126-1 and paid $80.80 to place and $27.60 to show.
Enough notes for now.
Blue Heaven Farm’s two-time OBS graduate Starship Jubilee has been named Canada’s Horse of the Year and champion female turf horse at the 45th annual Sovereign Awards ceremony.
Never off the board in seven starts in 2019, the now 7-year-old daughter of Indy Wind posted four stakes victories, three in graded stakes company. She took the Gr. II Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa Stakes at Saratoga in August, the Gr. II Canadian Stakes at Woodbine in September and came right back a month later to score in Woodbine’s Gr. I E. P. Taylor Stakes.
She’s off to a good start in 2020, winning all three starts including the Gr. III Suwanee River at Gulfstream and the Gr. II Hillsborough at Tampa Bay Downs. Trained by Kevin Attard, she has compiled a 35-17-5-3 career record and earned $1,498,667 to date. At her first visit to OBS, she was purchased for $6,500 by Laurence F. Leavy out of The Acorn consignment at the 2014 August Yearling Sale. She was next consigned by Halcyon Hammock Farm to the 2015 April Sale, but she was an RNA at $34,000.
HALLANDALE BEACH - A jackpot pool guarantee of $900,000 in the 20-cent Rainbow will greet bettors when action returns to Gulfstream Park with a live 10-race program on Thursday. First race post time is 12:45 p.m. The multi-race wager went unsolved Sunday, and multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $18.48. The winning tickets included three "alls" due to scratches, leading to the low payoff. Thursday’s Rainbow 6 spans Races 5-11 and includes three races scheduled for the grass which attracted 43 entries, an average of 14.3 horses per race.
The feature comes in Race 9, a $48,000 optional claiming allowance for 4-year-olds and up sprinting 6 ½ furlongs. Admiral Lynch, third by a neck in the 2019 Gr. III Chick Lang and second by less than a length last out in the Gr. III World of Trouble Sprint on Feb. 22 at, is the narrow 3-1 program choice. NOTES: Jockey Luis Saez registered a riding triple Sunday aboard Geonosis ($3) in Race 5, Sniper Shot ($4) in Race 7 and Just Whistle ($10.40) in the $75,000 Sunday Silence for 4-year-olds and up in Race 9. … Irad Ortiz Jr. won twice, with R U Lucky ($3.60) in Race 3 and Unrighteous ($2.80) in Race 4. Sniper Shot and Unrighteous are both trained by Todd Pletcher. … Jockey Victor Lebron swept the late daily double with Helping Lisa D ($11.40) in Race 10 and The Great Kath ($22.60) in Race 11.
With the Oaklawn Park season already finished, racing has been held to just four tracks in recent days - Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs in the east, along with Fonner Park in Nebraska and Will Rogers Downs in Oklahoma. That line-up ends today with the re-opening of four additional venues.
Gulfstream Park continues its run with a 1 p. m. first post and will have the benefit of being the only track taking bets for its first six or seven races. Tampa Bay Downs doesn't race on Thursdays.
Santa Anita will be next with a 3:30 post for its nine-race card, followed by Golden Gate Fields with a 3:45 start and another a nine-race program, along with Santa Anita. At 7 p. m., Charles Town kicks off with its nine-race card and Remington Park goes with a strong 11-race card. Based on the success of Fonner Park and Will Rogers Downs, the three newbies, other than Santa Anita, should be able to compete with some degree of success, too. It will be interesting to see which achieves the highest handle.
On Saturday, Churchill Downs will be added to the wagering menu, and the New Yorkers are out in force trying to get Gov. Cuomo to allow racing at Belmont Park in advance of the opening of Saratoga.
HALLANDALE BEACH - Multiple winning tickets in Saturday’s mandatory payout of Gulfstream Park’s 20-cent Rainbow 6 were each worth $31,476. The sequence included Halladay winning the $75,000 Sunshine Forever and ended with 27-1 shot Areyoutalkingtome winning the 12th and final race and returning $57. The multi-race wager had gone unsolved for 10 days since an April 19 mandatory payout. There was a carryover jackpot pool of $1,481,488 at the start of wagering on Saturday. The Rainbow 6 starts anew today with a $100,000 guaranteed pool. There will also be a Super Hi 5 carryover of $17,662 in the first race. First-race post time is set for 1 p.m.
CONSTITUTION WELL-REPRESENTED by HYPERFOCUS in DEBUT Repole Stable’s Hyperfocus debuted victoriously Saturday, providing red-hot sire Constitution with his first winner from his second foal crop. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Hyperfocus rated behind a hotly-contested pace set by Breakthrough and pressed by Peppi in the 4 ½-dash for 2-year-olds. After racing somewhat greenly in the stretch, Hyperfocus straightened out and kicked in to pass the tiring pacesetters to score by 1 ¼ lengths under Irad Ortiz Jr. The son of 2014 Florida Derby winner Constitution raced 4 ½ furlongs in :52.63 seconds as the 5-2 second choice. He was purchased for $100,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September sale. Peppi held on for second, 4 ¾ lengths ahead of 2-1 favorite Breakthrough, who was the first runner for 2016 Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist.
Here's a little-known fact concerning Mark Casse, who has been inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in Saratoga and certainly is more than deserving.
When Mark was about 16, I had a racing newspaper in Ocala called The Florida Scene. I also was the Marion County distributor for Daily Racing Form. I used to get the papers by bus from Tampa and leave them in three places around town for subscribers to pick up. One was at Bonnie Heath's Ramada Inn on highway 27, now a Motel 6, a second was at Frank Smith's convenience store at the Golden Hills Plaza, and the third was on the terrace of Norman Casse's home at Cardinal Hill Farm (now the Ocala Stud annex).
When I left the Forms with Joyce Reynolds on Norman's terrace, Mark would come home from school and grab the one marked 'Cardinal Hill.'
One day, Norman said to me: "You know, you ought to do a story on Mark." I asked him what the reason would be - Mark wasn't an owner, or breeder, and didn't get his trainer's license until the next year. Said the proud papa, "Yes, but he's a great handicapper."
Shortly thereafter, Mark Casse was the subject of the lead story in The Florida Scene, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Mark has saddled 2,865 winners, his horses have earned $174,628,624 (ninth all-time), he has amassed 11 Sovereign Awards in Canada, trained four Eclipse Award winners, and last year won the Preakness with War of Will and the Belmont Stakes with Sir Winston. And, he's one of only four trainers to have been elected to both the U. S. and Canadian Halls of Fame, along with Lucien Laurin, Roger Attfield and Horatio Luro.
I honestly don't know how Mark could have risen to his present heights without having been introduced to the world of racing in The Florida Scene. I take full credit for it.
HALLANDALE BEACH - The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $1.75 million Thursday at Gulfstream Park. The multi-race wager went unsolved for the eighth straight racing day since an April 19 mandatory payout. Multiple tickets with six winners were each worth $15,693 Sunday. Boerne Caps off Trainer’s Big Weekend with Feature Score - De Luca and Sons Stable’s Boerne romped to her third straight open-lengths victory in Sunday’s feature race, capping off trainer Juan Carlos Avila’s big weekend. A day after Avila-trained and Gulfstream-based King Guillermo followed up his Tampa Bay Derby victory with a solid second-place finish behind heavily favored Nadal in a division of the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park, Boerne notched a 4 ¼-length victory in Race 9, a 6 ½-furlong allowance for 3-year-old fillies. Boerne ($4.60) broke quickly from the gate to open up a clear lead on the backstretch under a motionless Edgard Zayas and continued on to notch a dominating score, running 6 ½ furlongs in 1:17.20 after posting uncontested fractions of 22.86 and 45.66 for the first half-mile.
"She does everything so easy," Zayas said. "She breaks out of the gate fast and as soon as she takes the lead, she relaxes really good. I know she has more in the tank.” The Texas-bred daughter of Fed Biz, who was purchased for $10,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall yearling sale, debuted with a troubled off-the-board finish at Gulfstream West in November prior to romping in her next three at Gulfstream. She broke her maiden on March 15 by 3 ½ lengths before capturing an April 11 optional claiming allowance by 7 ¼ lengths and winning her third straight Sunday. “She’s a fun Texas-bred filly," Zayas said. "She’s pretty fast and handles things really good. So far, she’s done everything we’ve asked her.” She was one of three winners for the jockey on Sunday. “I think she has more in the tank. I’m very excited to see her future.” Zayas came back to capture Race 11, an allowance for fillies and mares aboard trainer Gustavo Delgado’s Cory Gal ($7). The 4-year-old daughter of Corfu collected her third-straight win after pressing the pace and drawing clear through the stretch to win by 2 ½ lengths, running six furlongs in 1:11.06. Zayas also scored aboard Competitive Saint ($14.60), a George Weaver-trained debut winner in Race 4. Ortiz Stays on a Roll with Three More Winners Irad Ortiz Jr. continued his hot streak, riding three more winners on Sunday’s program. The reigning two-time Championship Meet titlist pushed his win total to 15 since returning from a hiatus on April 25 with his fifth multi-win day. Ortiz had scored a pair of stakes victories on Saturday aboard Network Effect in the $100,000 Big Drama and Gufo in the $75,000 English Channel during a three-win afternoon.
The abbreviated racing schedules around the country are wreaking havoc on handle, purses, local economies, employment, paychecks and much more. On a less important scale, it is already changing the look of the leading sire lists.
There is no question that the end-of-the-year lists won't look anything like those of the past. Last season, Ocala Stud Farm's Adios Charlie was Florida's leading sire with earnings of $3,767,013. The 2020 season is exactly one-third completed, and the son of Indian Charlie is sitting fourth with earnings of $609,296. Barring a really big horse somewhere down the line, Charlie has little chance of coming anywhere near his 2019 total. Last year he had 64 winners and 41 repeat winners - this year thus far he has 18 and 5.
With Adios Charlie dropping to fourth, it would seem as though last year's runner-up, First Dude, would inherit the top spot, but that is not the case. Journeyman Stud's Khozan, who more than lived up to Brent and Crystal Fernung's expectations as a freshman last year, is the early leader this season and it will be interesting to see if he can continue on top since he has less runners in training than the others in the top five. The son of Distorted Humor led the frosh division in 2019 with earnings of $1,258,517 and he's a cinch to pass that as a sophomore in the near future - he already has reached $765,209.
It's not easy for a freshman sire to lead the general sire list in his second season. Kantharos got off to a quick start for Ocala Stud as a freshman in 2014 and was the leader with earnings of $868,968. In his second season, he jumped up to $1,780,874, but still finished eighth. He has continued on in Kentucky as a sire with a great impact on racing.
First Dude has been solid for Double Diamond Farm every season since his freshman year of 2015. He was second last year at $3,446.428, and is second behind Khozan with $733,430 this season. The two will have a tough battle the rest of the way, and Dude appears to have the edge strictly by numbers. He's leading the division with 26 winners, five better than runner-up Big Drama, and has six repeat winners, which is also leading.
Another to keep an eye on is Arindel Farm's Brethren, who was third last year and again this season thus far. His current runners are all products of when he stood at Pleasant Acres for Joe and Helen Barbazon, and the best of them are all in the barn of Arindel's owners, the Cohens. Another son of Distorted Humor, Brethren has earnings of $622,698 and can't be discounted from here to Dec. 31 - he has 70 runners, and 19 winners thus far.
There's no doubt that racing - aside from the current virus dilemma - has a barnful of problems. Medication, short fields and eye-opening changes on the odds board after the start of a race are among the top 10. What follows is another tale of an odds drop that defies explanation.
Enduros Tigress, a 4-year-old filly by Double Diamond Farm's First Dude, was listed at 15-1 in the morning line in the second race at Tampa Bay Downs Saturday. Tomas Mejia was aboard for the ride at 6 1/2 furlongs over the main track.
Midway through the betting, Enduro's Tigress sat on the board at 16-1 or 17-1, but as post time approached, she had slowly crawled upwards, passing 20-1, and as the field neared the gate, she was a juicy 27-1.
When the gate opened, Mejia got the filly away in fifth place, and she settled in comfortably down the backstretch, tracking about four or five lengths behind the leaders. Mejia put her in another gear on the turn, and Enduros Tigress closed the gap quickly. She looped the four ahead of her, took the lead passing the eighth pole, and went on to score by nearly three lengths.
It was a thing of beauty, except that as her followers savored the euphoria of a major score, and quickly checked the board, they found the number had plummeted like a falling tree; she was now 11-1. Sixteen points.
Who was responsible for the drop and where it was initiated is something only the tote company involved can answer. But for the conspiracy theorists, and I am among them, something is definitely wrong here. If hackers can get into banks, major organizations and the like, it's hard to imagine they can't get into the tote companies, despite those companies constantly dismissing the idea.
Enduro's Tigress paid $23.60 to win, so somebody still made a monster score. But it's a question as to just how long the betting public will stand for it.
Great news for horsemen that Tampa Bay Downs will not close after May 3, it's original end date, and will race through Saturday, May 30. The last four weeks of the meeting will feature racing on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Some of the barns no doubt could have shipped to Gulfstream, but for others, it would have caused great hardship. Trainers will always have to continue caring for their horses and paying their help, and this gives them another month after which, hopefully, we can get back to a normal schedule.
Unfortunately, many bettors don't understand the mechanics of purse structure and there have been many comments in various on-line sites, like the Paulick Report, condemning Stella Thayer for the reduced Tampa purses since spectator-less racing began. Those people need to comprehend that the track's take from on-track handle is much more than from on-line and phone wagering accounts.
I haven't followed the percentages in a long while, but I seem to remember that a while back tracks received 7 or 8 percent from on-track wagering and 2 or 3 percent from account wagering. Don't hold me to those numbers now, they may have changed somewhat, just know that there is a huge difference between the two, so no track can afford to keep purses at the former levels, especially with slots parlors and poker rooms closed, too.
HALLANDALE BEACH - With 55 2-year-olds in training, Wesley Ward is more than ready for the start of the 2020 juvenile racing season to get under way Thursday at Gulfstream Park. Under normal circumstances, Ward would have already celebrated several juvenile victories by the middle of April, but the cancellation of Keeneland’s spring meet due to the Covid-19 pandemic has delayed his traditional early-season domination of 2-year-old races at the Kentucky track. Although he won’t be the grand marshal of his annual parade into Keeneland’s winner’s circle this year, Ward is grateful that Gulfstream will provide opportunities, beginning with Race 2 on Thursday’s program. “When the news came out [about Covid-19], I backed off early," Ward said. "The faster, quicker ones were meant for Keeneland. When Keeneland announced they were closing, we went ahead with a new plan and brought them back here. We’ve been right down here and getting ready for these races. Fortunately, Gulfstream is still running, so we’ve got some opportunities.” Ward is scheduled to saddle Mrs. Fitriani Hay’s Lime in the 4 ½-furlong dash for juvenile fillies. The Ward-bred daughter of Iqbaal produced ‘bullet’ four-furlong workouts at Keeneland [March 19] and Turfway Park [March 25] before a maintenance four-furlong breeze at Gulfstream West on April 4. “The horses I run here right off the bat are very, very quick and speedy," Ward said. "Those are the ones I’ve targeted for these early races. She is all that. Very fast, very smart. She’s a big filly." He named Tyler Gaffalione to ride the Florida-bred filly. “The quicker fillies are usually the smaller fillies, but she’s very quick and agile.” Ward is also scheduled to saddle Golden Pal, a son of Uncle Mo, for a start in a $65,000 maiden special for 2-year-olds on Friday’s program. “He’s very fast," Ward said. "Obviously, pedigree-wise he’s a lot stronger than the filly on that side of things. But they’re equally as talented; they’re both very fast, very forward, very smart and very well-schooled, being at different tracks. They’re going to bring their ‘A’ games to the races.”
Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $1.5 million The Rainbow 6 will span Races 6-11 on Thursday’s program. First-race post time for Thursday’s 11-race card is set for 1 p.m.
Under normal circumstances - and we are experiencing anything but these days - the first 2-year-old races of the year are run in New Mexico. However, with about 90 percent of the tracks in North America shuttered, the honor of hosting the first two races for juveniles goes to Gulfstream Park.
The leadoff will be the second race on Thursday, a $65,000 maiden special for fillies at 4 1/2 furlongs. It has drawn a field of eight, and it will be the first race to be run under the new conditions for juveniles; they cannot compete until they have reached their actual second birthday, instead of all turning two on Jan 1.
As has been the norm for many years, the lowest morning line price belongs to a filly trained by Wesley Ward, who has made a habit of getting his youngsters ready earlier than his rivals and banking a ton of cash before the others know what has hit them. Ward's Lime is a Florida-bred by Iqbaal, who stands at Ward Farm, and who Wesley doesn't bother to advertise. Just about every foal by Iqbaal has been a Ward homebred. Lime is listed at 7/5 with red-hot Tyler Gaffalione aboard and will go from the No. 2 post.
An interesting foe will be Sophisticurl, who will be the first runner for Pleasant Acres Stallions freshman sire Ride On Curlin. As of now, there are only two freshman sires in Florida, until we might find one or more not listed in the Stallion Register. The other is Ocala Stud Farm's Jess's Dream. Sophisticurl, bred by Joe and Helen Barbazon, is listed at 10-1 and has drawn post 4 for owner/trainer Lester Barbazon III with talented rider Fanny Olsson, the Swedish gal who is a long shot player's dream.
Aside from Ride On Curlin, there are three others in the race who are by current or former sires from Pleasant Acres. They are: No. 3, Kitten's Dream, by Csaba; No. 5, Yafa, by Handsome Mike, and No. 7, Pretzel, by Brethren, who moved to Arindel Farm after his first few years at Pleasant Acres and has been a bright light for owners Alan and Karen Cohen. The Cohens also have the No. 8 horse, Quinoa Tifah, with Emisael Jaramillo. She's by Gemologist, and is listed at 9/2.
Yafa comes from the barn of Troy Levy's Tropical Racing LLC, which buys young horses and mares and syndicates them at his Circle 8 Ranch. She's 8-1 for trainer Michelle Nihei and has Luca Panici, one of the most under-rated riders in Florida and one of the best finishers in the Gulfstream jockey colony.
The No. 6 horse, Sister Aurora, is a New York-bred by Majestic City, the Empire State's leading freshman sire of 2019.
The Friday race, also for $65,000 at 4 1/2 furlongs, has drawn a field of nine colts and geldings and Wesley Ward has No. 7, Golden Pal, an Uncle Mo colt with Tyler Gaffalione. There are three former Pleasant Acres stallions involved - No. 3, Arindel's Gatsby, by Brethren; No. 6, Poseidon's Warrior, by Poseidon and bred by the Barbazons, and No. 9, Bailey, another of Arindel's Brethrens.
The nos. 4 and 5, Peppi and Just Right Mike, are both by Stonehedge Farm's rising star, Cajun Breeze. Both are owned, bred and trained by Beau Yates and his Shadybrook Farm, which fared so well with sons and daughters from the first crop of Cajun Breeze in 2018.
It didn't take long for Friday's sixth-race payoff explosion at Tampa Bay Downs to be upstaged, and eclipsed, by the first race at Gulfstream Park on Saturday.
Friday's sixth at Tampa was precipitated by 38-1 winner Automatic, who paid $79. He was followed across the finish line by 71-1 Brown Essence, 13-1 Neat Street and 12-1 Ready to Mingle. The $2 exacta paid $2,669.80, the 50-cent trifecta $4,202.95, and the 10-cent superfecta $7,919.14.
The next day came No. 1 at Gulfstream, a $12,500 claimer at five furlongs on the grass. Luis Reyes, on No. 8, 73-1 Freddy Soto, a gelding by Adios Charlie, sat second behind 22-1 Congrats That with Miguel Vasquez, and beat him home by one-half length in :56.59. Felon, a 10-1 prospect with Leonel Reyes finished third, and Shanghai Levi checked in fourth at 11-1. The 2-1 favorite, Bold, with Emisael Jaramillo, had traffic problems and wound up 11th and last.
The $2 exacta paid $2,593.40, slightly below Friday's $2,669.80. But the 50-cent trifecta came back $9,442.40, more than double the Friday price, while the 10-cent superfecta - $52,510.06 - was taken home by one lucky bettor, and was more than six times the Friday payoff of $7,919.14.
Long shots winners are a way of life at every racetrack in the country, but the sixth race at Tampa Bay Downs yesterday was a favorite-haters dream.
The race was a $10,000 claimer at 1 1/16 miles on the grass offering $6,380 to the winner, who turned out to be Automatic, a 3-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding by Carpe Diem. Angel Suarez rode Automatic, who went of at odds of 38-1 and paid $79.00, $29.80 and $15.20 after defeating Brown Essence by one-half length.
Brown Essence was 71-1 under Tomas Mejia, and paid $49.80 and $19.80, finishing a nose ahead of Neat Street.
Neat Street, with Samy Camacho, was a mere 13-1 and paid $8.80 to show. He finished 2 1/4 lengths ahead of Ready to Mingle, who was 12-1 with Olaf Hernandez.
After the race, the tote board bore a resemblance to the scene in The Natural when Roy Hobbs hit one off the scoreboard and started an explosion of lights. The $2 double with Don H, the $12 winner of the previous race, paid $458, and the $2 exacta paid $2,669.80.
The 50-cent trifecta came back $4,202.95, and the 10-cent superfecta paid $7,919.14. The 50-cent Pick 3 including Magdalena ($17.20) in the fourth race paid $1,152.50.
Sinatra Devil, the 6/5 favorite with Wilmer Garcia, finished fifth.
In a profession where the roost is ruled by such stalwarts as Castellano, Rosario, Leparoux, Velazquez, Geroux, two Ortiz's, Saez, Lopez, and even a Smith, to name just a few, somehow the name Tyler Gaffalione doesn't seem to fit the mold.
But the South Florida product whose father, Steve Gaffalione, rode for 20 years in Miami, and whose grandpa, Robert Gaffglione, was an outright star in the formative days of Calder Race Course, has made a startling climb up the ladder in the world of riding thoroughbreds. All before reaching his 26th birthday.
First, why the last two Gaffaliones aren't named Gaffglione, like grandpa, is very simple. When Steve was born in a South Florida hospital, the nurse filling out the birth certificate mistook the 'g' for an 'a,' and presto, just that quickly the name Gaffalione was born.
Although most of today's South Florida racetrackers weren't around to witness the exploits of Robert Gaffglione, his impact on summer racing was dramatic. In 1971, when Calder made its debut amidst the controversy surrounding the synthetic Saf-T-Turf surface developed by William L. McKnight's 3M Company, Gaffglione was the track's first leading jockey, gaining fame as the rider of the fabulous Hickory Gray, a King Hairan filly with whom he seemed a perfect fit.
Campaigning from 1971 through 1974, she compiled a record of 18-9-8 in 50 tries with earnings of $104,193. Based on her record in stakes, if she was competing today Hickory Gray would be a millionaire. Gaffglione, one of the great gentlemen of the sport in his day, was content to take her off the pace in all her starts, and she closed like a gray comet to win seven stakes at Calder, adding three seconds and four thirds. He passed away at the age of 68 in December of 2004, when his grandson was only 10. According to Tyler, his grandmother kept all the Gaffglione-Hickory Gray newspaper stories of the 70s.
With his father as his teacher, Tyler began his career in 2014, just one year out of high school, and immediately experienced a good degree of success. He won his first race at Gulfstream Park on Sept. 7 in just his third try, and wound up the year with 28 victories and earnings of $563,582. He was 439th on the list of leading jockeys for the year.
From there, he made steady progress each year, winning with 217 mounts who earned $5,805,176 in 2015, shooting up to 33rd on the end-of-season list, and walking away with the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey. Then, in succession, he moved up to 28th in 2016, 12th in 2017, 11th in 2018, and 10th last year, during a milestone season highlighted by winning the Preakness for trainer Mark Casse with War of Will.
This year, Tyler has already moved into fourth place behind Eclipse Award winner Irad Ortiz Jr., winning 72 races aboard runners who have earned $3,621,572.
The current Gulfstream meeting began last Thursday and Tyler rode four winners on Friday, and three each on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for a total of 13 and a lead of six over Luis Saez. Getting a price on his mounts has become quite difficult, and eight of the 13 winners paid less than $10, although every once in a while one slips through the cracks like Fancified, who paid $19.20.
Despite his youth, many of the country's leading trainers have been impressed with Tyler's patience, his keen sense of racing strategy, and his finishing ability, conjuring memories of many of the great riders of the past - Eddie Arcaro, Angel Cordero, Bill Hartack, Jorge Velasquez, Jacinto Vasquez, Jerry Bailey - and 2020 should be his shining hour.
Robert Gaffglione would be very proud.
For some reason, Equibase is no longer closing out Gulfstream's charts with the handle statistics of the day. In these harrowing times, those numbers are important - they reveal how the country is responding, via the various wagering accounts, to the main track still in operation.
Based on a quick evaluation of Saturday's 14-race card at Gulfstream, the racing community is self-quarantining itself in front of their computers, or on the couch with their phones of all kinds.
I didn't have the patience to add up the individual handles of each of Gulfstream's 14 races, but I did a few to try to get some idea of how the track is being supported. Here's what I found:
Race No. 1 - This one went off at 11:36 so it's fair to assume the West and Mid-West hadn't gotten involved yet. Total handle for all pools: $1,017,296.
Race No. 2 - More people getting involved - Total handle - $1,412,895.
Skip races 3 through 12 and go to No. 13, the Appleton - Total handle - $3,427,974.
Then the piece de resistance: The Florida Derby - Total handle - $9,896,403.
That adds up to $15,754,568 for just four races. If we estimate that the other 10 races averaged $2 million each, the total for the day would be about $35 million. (However, after a quick check of the other races, it appears that I underestimated the other 10 - several appear to have handled more than $3 million and the day's total could be $40 million or more).
Of course, Gulfstream receives a much larger percentage of the pools from on-track wagering than from the betting accounts, but at least Florida racing isn't going completely in the tank during this horrendous time for other businesses.
On Saturday, Tampa's ITW handle was $6,555, and the ISW handle $4,888,525. Oaklawn Park's number was $5,122,231.
Lost in the world of viruses, health experts, deaths, masks, testing, curfews, isolation, quarantine, poor leadership, Rand Paul's idiocy, and much more, Mike Mulligan's BetBestBreeze knocked it out of the park Saturday. And, like the tree falling in the forest, we have to wonder how many people were able to pay attention.
With so many tracks shuttered, BBB was left with 19 selections from Fair Grounds, Gulfstream, Oaklawn Park and Santa Anita and the results were eye-opening: 8 winners, 7 seconds, 2 thirds and 2 fourths - 19 of 19 in the top 4.
Fair Grounds was particularly fruitful with winners Dreamalildreamofu ($4.20); Factor This ($21); Sydster ($5); Vacherie Girl ($12.20), and Wells Bayou ($8.40). There were also two seconds.
At Gulfstream, there were three seconds, one third and three fourths, and Oaklawn had winners Long Weekend ($4.60) and Ruling ($5.80). Santa Anita added one winner, Outright ($8.40) and one fourth.
A great day for those sitting at home and utilizing computers, phones and any other form of wagering devices.
HALLANDALE BEACH - Cara Oliver’s Hear My Prayer sprinted to the lead and kept on going, shaking off Foolish Humor early and turning away Compensate by 1 1/2 lengths to earn her first career stakes victory in the $75,000 Melody of Colors, giving jockey Paco Lopez his fifth of a record-equaling seven victories on Saturday’s 12-race program at Gulfstream Park. Lopez, a past Championship Meet riding champion who sits third in the current standings, previously won aboard Strike Magic ($21) in Race 1, Time to Two Step ($2.40) in Race 2, French Quarter ($3.60) in Race 5 and Quick Step Ed ($8.80) in Race 6, adding a sixth win aboard We Miss Susie ($6) in Race 10 and a seventh aboard National Honor ($11.80) in Race 12. With his seventh win Lopez joined the company of Luis Saez (twice), Tyler Gaffalione and Hall of Famer Jerry Bailey. Saez achieved the feat on Jan. 24, 2018 and March 29, 2018. Gaffalione won seven on July 4, 2017, while Bailey was the first to accomplish it on March 11, 1996. Trained by David Fisher, Hear My Prayer was a popular winner in the field of 11 3-year-old fillies, cutting back to five furlongs following her 2020 debut, in which she was sixth after setting the pace in the 7 ½-furlong Ginger Brew Jan. 4 at Gulfstream. She paid $4 after racing the distance in :55.89 seconds over a firm turf course. Hear My Prayer was intent on the lead from post 4 and dueled through an opening quarter in :21.23 seconds with Foolish Humor at her right hip. Foolish Humor began to fade around the turn and Compensate picked up the chase down the center of the track after a half in :43.80, but was unable to reel in the winner. Hear My Prayer improved to 3-0 when sprinting five furlongs on the grass, her other wins coming last fall at Gulfstream and Gulfstream West, each in front-running fashion. She was unable to sustain her lead in the Ginger Brew and wound up beaten 3 ¼ lengths. Two races later, Smart Angle LLP’s Cajun Casanova rallied from far back to win the $75,000 Texas Glitter, a five-furlong turf race for 3-year-olds. Trained by Michael Pino, Cajun Casanova, who captured the five-furlong Hollywood Beach on turf last year at Gulfstream, was claimed for $50,000 out of an eight-length victory in a five-furlong off-the-turf optional claiming allowance Jan. 23. The son of Stonehedge Farm's Cajun Breeze set the pace before finishing second in a five-furlong optional claiming allowance on turf for his new connections on Feb. 17. This time, Cajun Casanova ($9.40) and jockey Miguel Vasquez employed different tactics with success. He chased the pace in fourth as R Man Joe set solid fractions of :21.47 and :43.36 for the first half-mile, then swung wide entering the stretch and kicked in to win by a neck. R Man Joe held on for second under Emisael Jaramillo, 1 ½ lengths ahead of late-charging Guildsman and Saez. Cajun Casanova was clocked in :55.28 seconds.
Hip No. 598, a son of Upstart consigned by Woodford Thoroughbreds, Agent, went to Mike Ryan, Agent for $600,000 to top the second and final session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2020 March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. The bay colt, who breezed a quarter in :21 flat at Saturday’s session of the Under Tack Show, is out of Blue Beryl, by Bernstein, a half-sister to graded stakes-placed stakes-winning OBS March graduate Brigand. Hip No. 424, a daughter of Bernardini consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, was sold to Stonestreet Stables LLC for $575,000. The dark bay or brown filly, who breezed a quarter in :21 flat at Friday’s Under Tack Session, is out of Song Collection, by Unbridled’s Song, a full sister to graded stakes-winner Old Fashioned.
Hip No. 386, a son of Constitution consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, went to Dennis O’Neill for $550,000. The bay colt, who turned in a quarter in :20 4/5 on Friday, is out of Screwgie, by Smart Strike, a daughter of graded stakes-winner Roshani.
Hip No. 550, a son of Tapizar consigned by Brick City Thoroughbreds, Agent, was purchased by Narvick International for $500,000. The bay colt, who worked an eighth on Saturday in :10 flat, is a half-brother to stakes-winner Miss Frost out of Allencat, by Storm Cat.
West Bloodstock, Agent for Repole Stable, Inc. went to $420,000 for Hip No. 456, a son of Frosted consigned by Kings Equine, Agent. The gray or roan colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat at Saturday’s Under Tack Session, is a half-brother to graded stakes-placed Der Lu out of Taboo, by Forestry.
Hip No. 640, a son of Daredevil whose quarter in :20 3/5 was the session’s fastest, went to Carolyn Wilson for $400,000. The bay colt out of Chapellerie (IRE), by Acclamation, from the family of graded stakes winner Secret Form (GB), was consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent.
Hip No. 358, a son of Outwork consigned by Pike Racing, Agent, was purchased by Mike Ryan, Agent, for $380,000. The bay colt, who worked an eighth on Friday in :10 flat, is out of Riding Point, by Speightstown, a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Onus.
Hip No. 568, a son of Medaglia d’Oro consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, Agent, went to Narvick International for $350,000. The dark bay or brown colt, who breezed an eighth on Saturday in :10 1/5, is out of graded stakes-placed Arch Support, by Arch, a daughter of stakes-winner Two Ninety Jones.
Hip No. 443, a bay filly by Uncle Mo consigned by Paul Sharp, Agent, was sold to Dennis O’Neill for $340,000. A half-sister to stakes-placed Romeo Lima out of Storybook (UAE), by Hailing, she breezed an eighth on Friday in :10 1/5.
Team Casse, Agent, went to $335,000 for Hip No. 381, a daughter of War Front who turned in an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat on Friday. The dark bay or brown filly bred in Great Britain, consigned by Kings Equine, Agent, is a half-sister to stakes-placed Segra out of graded stakes-winner Sarah Lynx (IRE), by Montjeu.
Hip No. 379, a son of Into Mischief also consigned by Kings Equine, Agent, who breezed an eighth in :10 2/5 on Friday, was sold to Town & Country Racing LLC for $300,000. A half-brother to stakes-winning OBS graduate South Bend, he’s out of graded stakes-placed Sandra’s Rose, by Old Trieste.
Hip No. 454, a daughter of Union Rags who breezed an eighth in :10 2/5 on Friday, was sold for $300,000 to Jun Park, Agent. The bay filly, consigned by Woodford Thoroughbreds, Agent, is out of graded stakes placed Sweet Success, by Candy Ride (ARG), a daughter of graded stakes-placed Aspiring.
John C. Kimmel, Agent, paid $300,000 for Hip No. 559, Caller Two, a son of Malibu Moon consigned by McKathan Bros. Sales, Agent. The bay colt, who breezed an eighth on Saturday in :10 flat, is out of Ameristralia (AUS), by Fastnet Rock, a full sister to graded stakes-winner Fiano Romano.
For the session, 146 horses sold for $14,893,000, averaging $102,007 with a $55,000 median figure. The buyback percentage was 39.4%. For the entire sale, 291 horses sold for $27,902,500 compared with 306 bringing $44,248,500 a year ago. The average price was $95,885, compared with $144,603 in 2019 while the median price was $50,000 compared with $80,000 a year ago. The buyback percentage was 39.6%; it was 23.9% in 2019.
Hip No. 237, a daughter of American Pharoah consigned by Wavertree Stables Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent was sold to Katsumi Yoshida for $650,000 to top the first session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2020 March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. The bay filly, whose quarter in :20 2/5 at Friday’s Under Tack session was the sale’s fastest at the distance, is out of Megalicious, by Songandaprayer, and is a half sister to stakes placed My Sweet Stella. Hip No. 258, a son of Into Mischief consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, was sold to Myracehorse.com and Spendthrift for $500,000. The bay colt, who turned in a quarter in :21 flat at Friday’s Under Tack session, is out of stakes-placed Montessa G, by Montbrook, a daughter of stakes-winner Doc’s Doll.
Hip No. 320, Brother Lob, by Runhappy, who breezed a quarter on Friday in :20 3/5, was purchased by Tom Durant for $475,000. Consigned by Pick View LLC, Agent, he’s out of stakes-placed Pledge Pin, by Chatain, a half-sister to graded stakes-placed stakes-winner Great Mills.
Katsumi Yoshida also went to $420,000 for Hip No. 65, a son of Medaglia d’Oro who breezed an eighth at Thursday’s Under Tack session in :10 1/5. The bay colt, consigned by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent, is out of Flagstaff (GB), by Dansili, a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Starformer.
Hip No. 27, a son of Air Force Blue consigned by RiceHorse Stable (Brandon & Ali Rice), was purchased by Willis Horton Racing LLC for $390,000. The chestnut colt, who turned in an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat on Thursday, is a half-brother to graded stake-winner Daddy Long Legs out of stakes-winner Dreamy Maiden, by Meadowlake.
Hip No. 167, a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, Agent for Chester & Mary Broman, was sold to OXO Equine LLC for $330,000. The dark bay or brown filly, who worked an eighth in:10 flat on Thursday, is a full sister to Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) winner Bar of Gold out of graded stakes-winner Khancord Kid, by Lemon Drop Kid.
Team Casse, Agent, went to $320,000 for Hip No. 226, an Irish-bred daughter of Frankel consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc., (Ciaran Dunne), Agent. The bay filly, who breezed a quarter in :21 1/5 on Thursday, is out of stakes-placed Manderley, by Clodovil, a full sister to stakes-winner Gregorian.
Hip No. 319, a son of American Pharoah consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, went to John C. Kimmel, Agent for $320,000. The bay colt, who worked a quarter in :21 1/5 on Friday, is a half-brother to Gr. I stakes-winner Certify, out of graded stakes-placed stakes- winner Please Sign In, by Doc’s Leader.
Hip No. 149, a daughter of Empire Maker consigned by Randy Miles, Agent, was sold for $280,000 to August Dawn Farm. The bay filly, who breezed a :10 1/5 eighth on Thursday, is out of Jaded Glory, by Smart Strike, a daughter of Gr. I stakes-placed Jade Queen.
Hip No. 141, a son of Dialed In consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, was sold for $275,000 to North Hills. The bay colt, whose quarter in :20 3/5 was fastest at the distance at Thursday’s Under Tack session, is a half-brother to stakes-winner Meadowood out of stakes-winner Into Reality, by Untuttable.
Sandin Syndicate Stable LLC, W.E. Morey Agent, paid $255,000 for Hip No. 241, a son of Curlin consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent. The bay colt, who worked a :21 1/5 quarter on Friday, is out of Michelle d’Oro, by Bernardini, a daughter of Gr. I winner Champagne d’Or.
For the session, 134 horses old for $12,550,500, averaging $93,660 with a $50,000 median figure. The buyback percentage was 44.4.
HALLANDALE BEACH - After going unsolved for the 13th consecutive day, the 20-cent Rainbow 6 will have its carryover jackpot pool guaranteed at $1.4 million when live racing is scheduled to return to Gulfstream Park on Wednesday. First race post time is 1 p.m. Multiple tickets with all six winners today were worth $522.92.
Wednesday’s Rainbow 6 covers Races 5-10 and features four races on turf topped by the featured ninth, a five-furlong race for fillies and mares 4-and-up featuring Ms Meshak, winner of the 2019 Added Elegance on the dirt at Gulfstream, plus multiple stakes-placed Just Ain’t Right and Starship Nala. The multi-race wager has been solved four times during the 2019-20 Championship Meet, including payoffs of $1.2 million on Feb. 17 and $468,945 on Feb. 27. G2 Winner Noble Indy Makes Successful Season Debut Repole Stable’s Gr. II winner Noble Indy, unraced since Nov. 24, made a triumphant return in his 5-year-old return today. Ridden by Luis Saez for trainer Todd Pletcher, Noble Indy ($8.60) led from start to finish to win the $53,000 third-level optional claiming allowance by 1 ½ lengths over late-running Sand Dancer. Monarchs Glen, the 7-5 favorite, was third. Noble Indy, by Take Charge Indy, won three of his first four career starts, two at Gulfstream, including the Gr. II Louisiana Derby to earn him a shot in the 2018 Kentucky Derby, where he finished 17th behind eventual Triple Crown winner Justify. Gunnison tracked Noble Indy through a half in :49.29 seconds trailed by Monarchs Glen and Golden Dragon. Monarchs Glen split horses to get within a half-length midway on the turn after six furlongs in 1:12.78, but Noble Indy was up to the task and edged clear once straightened for home and set down by Saez. The winning time for 1 1/8 miles over a firm turf course was 1:47.64. Noble Indy also opened his 2019 season at Gulfstream, finishing fourth in an optional claiming allowance in February. His last previous win came Sept. 20 at Belmont Park, also at 1 1/8 miles on the grass, and he capped last year by running fourth in an off-the-turf optional claimer Nov. 24 at Aqueduct. WHO'S HOT: Jockey Luis Saez visited the winner’s circle twice today, aboard maiden winner Youngest of Five ($3.80) in Race 6 and Noble Indy ($8.60) in Race 8.
HALLANDALE BEACH - With the utmost regard for the safety and well-being of our customers and employees and in following the best available guidance from local and international health authorities, Gulfstream Park will temporarily close to the public for racing and simulcast at the conclusion of racing today.
Gulfstream Park will continue live racing as scheduled with personnel licensed by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering in attendance which will provide our fans at home with the opportunity to stay connected via our on-line wagering.
The Florida Derby, scheduled to take place on March 28, will move forward with live racing but will also be closed to the public.
The Casino at Gulfstream Park will remain open for slot machine play only. All areas of the Clubhouse including the walking ring and apron will be closed with perimeter fencing and security. The Village at Gulfstream Park will remain open however, we encourage our guests to check with specific retailers’ operating hours.
We will continue to monitor the situation and will post any updates on our website at www.GulfstreamPark.com. We look to welcoming our fans and guests back again soon.
OLDSMAR - Retired Major League Baseball star Victor Martinez played on five teams that reached the post-season, was an American League All-Star five times and slugged 246 home runs in his 16-year career, which ended in 2018. But in the glow of a raucous winner’s-circle celebration late Saturday afternoon at Tampa Bay Downs, he said that nothing in his baseball career compared to the experience of his 3-year-old colt King Guillermo winning the Gr. II, $400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby at odds of 49-1. “My dad died when I was six, and I always wanted to have a horse named for my dad,” an emotional Martinez said after King Guillermo posted a 4 ¾-length victory over 3-2 favorite Sole Volante in 1:42.63 for the mile-and-a-sixteenth. As a bonus, Martinez’s Venezuelan countryman, Samy Camacho, was in the saddle. The clocking was the third-fastest in the 40 editions of the Tampa Bay Derby. “This is absolutely something else," Martinez said." I thank God for this opportunity and putting a great horse in my hands. My mom (Margot, part of the festive scene) taught me how to dream. She taught me dreams are for free. We believed in this horse and he made our dream come true.” Another Venezuelan, Juan C. Avila, is the trainer of King Guillermo, who improved to 2-for-4 with the victory, in his first start of 2020. He paid $100.40 to win, the second-biggest payoff in the history of the race, surpassed only by Bold Southerner’s $179.40 in 1984. The Tampa Bay Derby is a “Road to the Kentucky Derby” points race, and King Guillermo earned 50 points with his victory – virtually assuring him a spot in the May 2 Run for the Roses, as long as his connections pay the late Triple Crown nomination fee. He was one of only two horses in the 12-horse field not yet nominated. That bit of paperwork could wait Saturday. “I hope he is going to the Kentucky Derby,” said Camacho, whose smile stretched almost to Caracas after the race. “I’m so happy, I say thank you to God and all the team – Mr. Juan Carlos Avila, the trainer, the owner, Victor Martinez, and everybody who made this dream possible. From the 3/8ths-mile pole I had a lot of horse and I was worried a little about Chance It and Sole Volante, but I had a lot of confidence in my horse because he was doing really well in the mornings and he felt strong,” Camacho said. Sole Volante, the Gr. III Sam F. Davis Stakes winner here four weeks ago, picked up 20 points with his second-place finish, 1 ¾ lengths ahead of Texas Swing – the other horse not nominated to the Triple Crown. Pace-setter Relentless Dancer held on for fourth, followed by disappointing second choice Chance It. King Guillermo is a Kentucky-bred son of Uncle Mo, out of Slow Sand, by Dixieland Band. He was bred by Carhue Investments, Grouseridge Ltd. And Marengo Investments and was purchased by Martinez for $150,000 at the 2019 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s April Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. The winner’s share of $210,000 raised his career earnings to $240,350. King Guillermo’s previous victory came on Nov. 2 at Gulfstream Park West in a one-mile maiden special weight race on the turf, but his team decided his workouts on the dirt at Gulfstream since early January merited a shot today.
Sole Volante also came out of the OBS April sale, going for a bargain $20,000 from the consignment of New Hope AB, which had purchased him for just $6,000 out of the 2018 Keeneland September yearling sale. The Tampa Bay Derby was one of five stakes races, four graded, on a Festival Day card that drew 10,021 fans in sunny, breezy weather. Handle on the 12-race card was $13,155,349, third largest in the track's history, and on-track handle of $856,300 was up 4.5-percent over last year’s Festival Day card. In the Gr. II, $225,000 Hillsborough Stakes for older fillies and mares on the turf, Florida-bred mare Starship Jubilee, the favorite, withstood a strong stretch challenge from Chad Brown-trained Beautiful Lover to post a 1 ¼-length victory in 1:47.83 for the mile-and-an-eighth. Kelsey’s Cross finished third and Magic Star was fourth in the 11-horse field. The 7-year-old Starship Jubilee, owned by Blue Heaven Farm and trained by Kevin Attard, improved to 17-for-35 lifetime. The $145,000 winner’s share of the purse raised her earnings to $1,498,667. Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano was aboard for the victory. “She’s such a classy horse,” Castellano said. “This is the type of horse you can do whatever you want – you can dictate the pace or you can come from behind. I enjoyed the ride and I’m very fortunate to be part of it. It looks like she is getting better and better and better.” Tino Attard claimed Starship Jubilee for $16,000 at Gulfstream in 2017. In the Gr. III, $200,000 Florida Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on the turf, the Eddie Kenneally-trained Outburst held off a frantic rally by Walk In Marrakesh to post a head victory in an excellent 1:42.03 for the mile-and-a-sixteenth. Outburst was also ridden by Castellano, who probably won the race when he managed to slow her down on the lead through a second quarter in :25.62 seconds after a :22.91 opening split. Secret Stash finished third and How Ironic was fourth in the 12-horse field. In the $75,000 Columbia Stakes for 3-year-olds on the turf, Kentucky-bred colt Doc Boy rallied from well back to grab a 1 ¾-length victory from Mr. Kringle. Summer Assault finished third and pace-setter Alley Oop Johnny was fourth. Doc Boy, who is owned by Stallionaire Enterprises, improved to 3-for-6 with the victory, achieved in 1:34.67 for the one-mile distance, .15 seconds off the stakes record. The son of Into Mischief-Peggy May, by Lemon Drop Kid, is trained by Michael Stidham and was ridden by Joe Bravo. AROUND THE OVAL - In the second race, the $40,000 Manatee Overnight Handicap for fillies and mares, 4-year-old Florida-bred stakes-winner J P’s Delight withstood a challenge from Gr. II stakes-winner Point of Honor at the top of the stretch and powered home to a four-length victory under jockey Paco Lopez. Her time for the 7 furlongs was 1:22.48. J P’s Delight, who is owned by Brent Fernung (Journeyman Stud) and Eugene Cahalan and trained by Kathleen O’Connell, improved to 4-for-5 with the victory. She had won the FTBOA City of Ocala Florida Sire Stakes on Dec. 14, also going 7 furlongs.
OLDSMAR - A field of 12 3-year-olds headed by Sole Volante will compete for the winner’s share of a $400,000 purse in the 40th edition of the Gr. II Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs. The Tampa Bay Derby is one of five stakes, four graded, on a Festival Day card offering $1 million in stakes purse money alone. It is also a “Road to the Kentucky Derby” points race, awarding qualifying points for the Run for the Roses on May 2 to the first four finishers on a 50-20-10-5 scale. Also on Saturday’s 12-race card, which begins at 12:15 p.m., are the Gr. II, $225,000 Hillsborough Stakes for fillies and mares 4-years-old-and-upward at a mile-and-an-eighth on the turf; the Gr. III, $200,000 Florida Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the turf; the Gr. III, $100,000 Challenger Stakes for horses 4-and-upward at a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the main track; and the $75,000 Columbia Stakes for 3-year-olds racing a mile on the turf.
The five stakes will be run consecutively, comprising a Pick-5 wagering offering, with the Columbia as the seventh race, followed in order by the Challenger, the Hillsborough, the Florida Oaks and the Tampa Bay Derby. Sole Volante, the lone gelding in the field, drew the No.7 post position for the mile-and-a-sixteenth Tampa Bay Derby on the main dirt track and has been established as the 2-1 morning-line wagering choice, based on his impressive victory here on Feb. 8 in the Gr. III Sam F. Davis Stakes. Now 3-for-4 in his career, Sole Volante is owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Andie Biancone and Limelight Stables Corp. and trained by Patrick Biancone. Florent Geroux will be the jockey, replacing Sam F. Davis-winning rider Luca Panici, who suffered a fractured collarbone in a fall on Feb. 21. The second choice at 5-2 is Chance It, a Florida-bred colt owned by Shooting Star Thoroughbreds and trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. He will break from the No. 4 post under Paco Lopez. Chance It is 4-for-6 with three stakes victories, including a triumph in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes on Jan. 4 at Gulfstream Park in which he defeated Sole Volante. Chance It was scratched from last Saturday’s Gr. II Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream because of concerns about breaking from the No. 11 post position and the short run to the first turn. Todd Pletcher, who has trained five Tampa Bay Derby winners, including three in a row from 2015-2017, will send out three lightly-raced starters: maiden winners Market Analysis and Texas Swing along with Unrighteous, who is still a maiden. Market Analysis, owned by WinStar Farm and China Horse Club International, won his lone start going 7 furlongs on Jan. 25 at Gulfstream. Texas Swing, owned by Harrell Ventures, won his second career start, a mile-and-40-yard maiden special weight contest here on the Feb. 8 Sam F. Davis Stakes undercard. Unrighteous, a homebred colt racing for Calumet Farm, has a fourth and a second in two starts at Gulfstream. Pletcher’s five Tampa Bay Derby winners are Limehouse (2004), Verrazano (2013), Carpe Diem (2015), Destin (2016) and Tapwrit (2017). He has won the Kentucky Derby twice, both times with horses that raced at Tampa Bay Downs. In 2010, his Super Saver won the Kentucky Derby after finishing third in the Tampa Bay Derby; in 2017, Pletcher sent eventual Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming here to break his maiden on Jan. 25. The only other horse to win the Kentucky Derby after competing at Tampa Bay Downs was Street Sense, who won both the Oldsmar showcase and the Kentucky Derby in 2007.
Here is the full Tampa Bay Derby field in post position order, followed by each horse’s trainer and jockey: 1. Texas Swing, Todd Pletcher, Javier Castellano; 2. Spa City, Kiaran McLaughlin, Daniel Centeno; 3. Relentless Dancer, Michael Maker, Antonio Gallardo; 4. Chance It, Saffie Joseph Jr., Paco Lopez; 5. Market Analysis, Todd Pletcher, John Velazquez; 6. Mo Mosa, Michael Maker, Pablo Morales; 7. Sole Volante, Patrick Biancone, Florent Geroux; 8. Letmeno, Ian Wilkes, Chris Landeros; 9. Unrighteous, Todd Pletcher, Joe Bravo; 10. Bye Bye Melvin, H. Graham Motion, Julien Leparoux; 11. King Guillermo, Juan Carlos Avila, Samy Camacho; 12. Tons of Gold, Alexis Delgado, Angel Suarez. The Hillsborough Stakes, which has launched the Eclipse award-winning seasons of 2012 winner Zagora and 2016 winner Tepin, has attracted a field of 12 older fillies and mares, headed by Lael Stables’ 5-year-old Jehozacat, Blue Heaven Farm’s 7-year-old Starship Jubilee and 5-year-old Altea, one of three Chad Brown-trained entrants. Jehozacat, who is trained by Arnaud Delacour, captured the Gr. III Lambholm South Endeavour Stakes on the turf here on Feb. 8, her second stakes victory of the meeting. Starship Jubilee, who is a career millionaire, is 16-for-34 lifetime, including a victory in the Gr. I E. P. Taylor Stakes on the turf at Woodbine on Oct. 12. Altea is looking for her first stakes victory, but was a fast-closing second in the Endeavour. Here is the full Hillsborough Stakes field in post position order, followed by each horse’s trainer and jockey: 1. Dynatail, Mike Dini, Jose Ferrer; 2. Get Explicit, Barbara Minshall, Samy Camacho; 3. Magic Star, Chad Brown, John Velazquez; 4. Juliana, Ignacio Correas IV, Joe Bravo; 5. Kelsey’s Cross, Patrick Biancone, Florent Geroux; 6. Wish Upon, John P. Terranova II, Pablo Morales; 7. Starship Jubilee, Kevin Attard, Javier Castellano; 8. Beautiful Lover, Chad Brown, Paco Lopez; 9. Hanalei Moon, Mark Casse, Antonio Gallardo; 10. Jehozacat, Arnaud Delacour, Daniel Centeno; 11. Lady Oxbow, Kent Sweezey, unnamed; 12. Altea, Chad Brown, Julien Leparoux. The Florida Oaks has produced two winners of the Kentucky Oaks, Luv Me Luv Me Not in 1992 and Secret Status in 2000. That was before the race was switched to the turf course in 2011, achieving Gr. III status in 2013. This year’s event has drawn a field of 12, led by undefeated (4-for-4) New York Groove, owned by Commonwealth New Era Racing and trained by Michael Trombetta. The daughter of Verrazano posted back-to-back stakes victories last fall in the Presque Isle Debutante Stakes and the Glorious Song Stakes at Woodbine. All of New York Groove’s races have been achieved on all-weather synthetic surfaces. Here is the full Florida Oaks field in post position order, followed by each horse’s trainer and jockey: 1. Ivyetsu, George “Rusty” Arnold II, Florent Geroux; 2. New York Groove, Michael Trombetta, Antonio Gallardo; 3. Secure Connection, Claude “Shug” McGaughey III, Julien Leparoux; 4. Mirabell Mei, John P. Terranova II, Pablo Morales; 5. Correctness, Arnaud Delacour, Daniel Centeno; 6. Walk In Marrakesh, Ignacio Correas IV, Joe Bravo; 7. Galileos Ballerina, Brett Brinkman, Jesus Castanon; 8. Outburst, Eddie Kenneally, Javier Castellano; 9. How Ironic, Victoria Oliver, Angel Suarez; 10. Secret Stash, Mark Casse, Samy Camacho; 11. Blame Debbie, H. Graham Motion, John Velazquez; 12. Micheline, Michael Stidham, Paco Lopez. The Challenger was upgraded to Gr. III status this year, following an eight-year run of winners that included subsequent Breeders’ Cup Classic champion Fort Larned in 2012, multiple graded stakes-winner Stanford in 2017, $3.2-million-plus earner War Story in 2018 and multiple Gr. III-winner Flameaway last year. Heading this year’s field is 5-year-old gelding Admiralty Pier, owned by Hoolie Racing Stable and Bruce Lunsford and trained by Barbara Minshall. Admiralty Pier notched his first graded stakes triumph here on Feb. 8 in the Gr. III Tampa Bay Stakes. Other likely contenders are Prompt, from the barn of Bill Mott, and Noble Drama, who appears to be in excellent form, trained by David Fawkes. Here is the full Challenger Stakes field in post position order, followed by each horse’s trainer and jockey: 1. Big Dollar Bill, Ian Wilkes, Chris Landeros; 2. Debbie’s Passion, Luis Carvajal Jr., Scott Spieth; 3. Trophy Chaser, Juan Carlos Avila; 4. Prompt, Bill Mott, Florent Geroux; 5. King for a Day, Todd Pletcher, John Velazquez; 6. Sandino Ruler, Ignacio Correas IV, Joe Bravo; 7. Noble Drama, David Fawkes, Javier Castellano; 8. Admiralty Pier, Barbara Minshall, Samy Camacho The Columbia Stakes, known as the Chris Thomas Turf Classic from 2000-2009, has drawn a field of 10 3-year-old colts and geldings. Top contenders include Chapalu, who won the Gr. III Grey Stakes on the all-weather surface at Woodbine on Oct. 27 but failed to contend in the Sam F. Davis; stakes-winner Doc Boy, from the barn of trainer Michael Stidham, and Zaino Boyz, who won the Inaugural Stakes here on Dec. 7 on the main track. Here is the full Columbia Stakes field in post position order, followed by each horse’s trainer and jockey: 1. Doc Boy, Michael Stidham, Joe Bravo; 2. Summer Assault, Michele Boyce, Angel Suarez; 3. Glorious Tribute, Barbara Minshall, Samy Camacho; 4. Alley Oop Johnny, John Rigattieri, unnamed; 5. King Theo, Carlo Vaccarezza, Florent Geroux; 6. Chapalu, Arnaud Delacour, Javier Castellano; 7. Me and Mr. C, Ned Allard, Carol Cedeno; 8. Mr. Kringle, John P. Terranova II, Pablo Morales; 9. Valiant Virtue, Juan Arriagada, Jesus Castanon; 10. Commence, Arnaud Delacour, Daniel Centeno. .
HALLANDALE BEACH - The 20-cent Rainbow 6 at Gulfstream Park was solved again today, when a lucky bettor cashed for a $468,945 jackpot payoff. The Rainbow 6 had gone unsolved since Feb. 17, when a single unique ticket was worth a $1,208,573 payoff. The winning combination was 9-5-2-6-3-6. Itwill start anew Friday with a $100,000 guaranteed pool.
Friday’s sequence will span Races 5-10, including the featured 6 ½-furlong optional claiming allowance for 3-year-old fillies in Race 9. Todd Pletcher-trained Eve of War, who debuted with an eye-catching 7 ½-length triumph at Gulfstream Feb. 2, will make her highly anticipated return to action. The daughter of Declaration of War will be ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez. The Rainbow 6 will be kicked off by a maiden special race for Florida-bred 3-year-olds in Race 5, featuring Freedom Force, a Rodolphe Brisset-trained son of American Pharoah who will be making his debut in the mile race that attracted a field of six, including Pletcher-trained Roman Empire, who finished a late-closing third on turf in his recent debut. Race 8, a mile turf race with a full field of $16,000 claimers, and Race 10, a 1 1/16-mile turf race with a full field of $16,000 claimers, will be included in Friday’s Stronach 5, which will offer a carryover of $167,951. The Stronach 5, which offers a 12-percent takeout, will be kicked off by Laurel Park’s Race 8, followed by Gulfstream’s Race 8, Golden Gate Fields’ Race 3, Santa Anita’s Race 3 and Gulfstream’s Race 10.
HALLANDALE BEACH - Gulfstream Park’s 20-cent Rainbow 6 will have a guaranteed pool of $350,000 when racing resumes Wednesday. First race post is 1 p.m. There was no single winning ticket on Sunday’s Rainbow 6. Multiple tickets with six winners returned $4,160. NOTES - Saturday’s Fountain of Youth Day program, featuring nine graded races, will have a first race post of 11:30 a.m. The post-position draw for the $400,000, Gr. II Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth, featuring Dennis’ Moment and Chance It, will be shown live during Wednesday’s Gulfstream broadcast after the first race. There will be a Gulfstream umbrella giveaway Saturday while supplies last.
Irad Ortiz Jr. rode his 100th winner of the meet Sunday aboard Pick Five Racing LLC’s Linny Kate. It marks the third consecutive 100-victory season for Ortiz, who led all riders last year with 135 trips to the winner's circle.
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL - The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $900,000 Friday at Gulfstream Park. First race post is 1 p.m.
The multi-race wager went unsolved for the 11th consecutive racing day today, and multiple tickets will all six winners were each worth $34,235. There were three live tickets going into the last race after Shellphone ($69.80) kicked off the sequence and Lena Horn ($32.40) won the fifth leg, but the victory in the 10th and final race went to R Boy Bode, who went off at odds of 7-2. Gulfstream will also have two races in Friday’s Stronach 5, which has a guaranteed pool of $100,000 and a 12-percent takeout. Gulfstream’s featured races in the national wager will be the seventh and 10th.
HALLANDALE BEACH - Two-time Eclipse Award winner Irad Ortiz Jr., who rode three winners Friday and four winners Saturday, brought home six more winners on Sunday’s 11-race card at Gulfstream Park. “I’m having a great meet so far," Ortiz said. "I’m so happy right now. I’m enjoying the moment. My agent [Jay Rushing] is doing a great job. I’m getting the best support from all the owners and trainers. They support me a lot here. I’m so happy. My family is here with me. I’m living the dream right now.” The 27-year-old Ortiz, who won the Championship Meet title last season with 135 winners, tops the current standings with 88 winners. Ortiz scored aboard aboard Sassy Justice ($6) in race 1, Fashion Babe ($6.60) in race 6, Liana Susquehanna ($5.80) in race 7, Sweet Mia ($10.20) in race 9, Miss Munnings ($7.60) in race 10, and Lookin At Roses ($4.80) in race 11.
Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $800,000 Wednesday. The multi-race wager went unsolved for the ninth consecutive day Sunday, when multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $225.90.
HALLANDALE BEACH - The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $600,000 Saturday at Gulfstream Park.The multi-race wager went unsolved for the seventh racing day today, when multiple winning tickets were each worth $1,125.
Saturday’s Rainbow 6 will span Races 7-12, including the $150,000, Gr. III Suwanee River in Race 11. Gr. 1 winner Starship Jubilee, a $16,000 claim at Gulfstream two seasons ago, has been installed at 7-5 in the morning line for the 1 1/8-mile turf stakes for older fillies and mares. Trained by Kevin Attard, the 7-year-old daughter of Indy Wind will be in search of her sixth graded stakes score while facing six rivals, including Magic Star, who captured the Gr. III Marshua’s River (G3) at Gulfstream last time out. Who’s Hot: Luis Saez, who rode four winners on Thursday’s card, notched three more victories on today’s card, scoring aboard La Chauffeur ($2.80) in Race 2, Descente ($3.40) in Race 3 and Luxury Suite ($14) in Race 5. Marcos Meneses continued his breakthrough meeting with three winners, scoring aboard Harper Go Lucky ($22.40) in Race 1, Saint Larned ($13.20) in Race 6 and the amazing 9-year-old gelding French Quarter ($7) in Race 10.
French Quarter's dam, Cent Nouvelle, was a rescue mare in 2010 with her ribs protruding, and was nursed back to health by breeder Kathleen Taylor, who then bred her to Shakespeare, resulting in the birth of French Quarter. The gelding has now won 12 times and earned more then $406,000, and was claimed for $8,000. Irad Ortiz Jr. won two races with Arrivederla ($6) in Race 7 and Royal Flag ($3.60) in Race 8. Super Hi-5 Carryover: $3,021.13.
OLDSMAR - Unbeaten Independence Hall drew the No. 4 post position for Saturday’s Gr. III, $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes, the centerpiece of Festival Preview Day 40 at Tampa Bay Downs. Eight 3-year-olds are entered in the Sam F. Davis, a mile-and-a-sixteenth race on the main track. It is part of the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” qualifying series, with points awarded to the top four finishers on a 10-4-2-1 scale, and is scheduled as the 11th race on a 12-race card.
Post time for the first race is 12:12 p.m. Several of the top jockeys in the country will be in Oldsmar for Festival Preview Day 40, including John Velazquez, Jose Ortiz, Joel Rosario, Julien Leparoux and Tyler Gaffalione. Independence Hall, who won the Gr. III Nashua on Nov. 3 at Aqueduct by 12 ¼ lengths and the Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct on Jan. 1 by 4 lengths, will be racing around two turns for the first time in four career starts while carrying co-top weight of 122 pounds. Those factors didn’t stop the morning-line maker from listing him at 6-5. Ortiz will be aboard. “In horse racing, there are a lot of circumstances that can come into play,” said trainer Michael Trombetta. “You have a lot of horses testing the waters to see how good they are, and all of us have the same goal: to see how far they can take us. We’d love to show up and run big and win the race, but the big picture is a little further down the line.” Three other stakes races, two of which are graded, add luster to a lucrative Festival Preview Day card featuring total stakes purse money of $750,000. The Gr. III, $175,000 Lambholm South Endeavour Stakes, a mile-and-a-sixteenth event on the turf for fillies and mares 4-and-upward, is the eighth race. It features a standout in 5-year-old Got Stormy, a multiple Gr. I stakes-winner who was a finalist for the 2019 Eclipse Award in the Turf Female category. She will break from the No. 7 post position in an eight-horse field. Got Stormy is 8-for-18 lifetime with career earnings of $1,430,578, is trained by Mark Casse and will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione. The Gr. III, $175,000 Tampa Bay Stakes, at a distance of a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the turf for horses 4-years-old-and-upward, is slated as the 10th race. The nine-horse field is headed by Halladay, trained by Todd Pletcher with Velazquez in the saddle, and Caribou Club, trained by Tom Proctor and to be ridden by Ortiz. The remaining stakes is the $150,000 Suncoast for 3-year-old fillies going a mile-and-40-yards on the main track. It goes as the ninth race, and is a “Road to the Kentucky Oaks” qualifying race, awarding points on a 10-4-2-1 scale. The favorite is likely to be Florida-bred Two Sixty, who won the 7-furlong Gasparilla Stakes by a neck on Jan. 18. Owned by Gary Barber and trained by Casse, Two Sixty will be ridden by Gaffalione. Top trainer Steve Asmussen has supplemented Comical to the race; she won the Gr. III Schuylerville last summer at Saratoga and has two Gr. I placings. Rosario will be aboard. Independence Hall breezed 4 furlongs Sunday in 48 3/5 seconds, and despite his sterling credentials and the impressive appearance he has made since his arrival in Oldsmar a month ago, most, if not all, of the others will be trying to establish themselves as serious candidates for the next round of Kentucky Derby prep races by leaving Independence Hall on the statehouse steps. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who won the 2016 Sam F. Davis with Ocean Knight, is sending his colt Ajaaweed, a Shadwell Stable-owned homebred who finished a fast-closing second in the Gr. II Remsen Stakes on Dec. 7 at Aqueduct. That race was a mile-and-an-eighth, the second time he has raced around two turns. Rosario will ride Ajaaweed, who has turned in a string of solid workouts at McLaughlin’s Palm Meadows Training Center base. McLaughlin praised Ajaaweed’s performance in the Remsen, in which he missed catching Shotski by a half-length despite racing wide on the final turn. “The race was on a track that had been favoring speed all day, and he was the only one who really closed,” the trainer said. “He was unlucky not to win, but we were very pleased with his effort. He’s doing very well and we’re excited about getting his 3-year-old campaign started and taking the first step to the first Saturday in May, if he’ll take us there.” The field for the Sam F. Davis Stakes in post position order: 1. Ajaaweed, Joel Rosario; 2. Sole Volante, Luca Panici; 3. Albert Park, Pablo Morales; 4. Independence Hall, Jose Ortiz; 5. No Getting Over Me, Samy Camacho; 6. Premier Star, John Velazquez; 7. Tiz Rye Time, Julien Leparoux; 8. Chapalu, Daniel Centeno. The Lambholm South Endeavour Stakes: 1. A. A. Azula’s Arch, Julien Leparoux; 2. Altea, Joel Rosario; 3. Jehozacat, Daniel Centeno; 4. Andina Del Sur, Jose Ortiz; 5. Dynatail, John Velazquez; 6. Kelsey’s Cross, Luca Panici; 7. Got Stormy, Tyler Gaffalione; 8. Phantom Opening, Antonio Gallardo. The entries for the Tampa Bay Stakes: 1. March to the Arch, Tyler Gaffalione; 2. Devamani, Joel Rosario; 3. Admiralty Pier, Samy Camacho; 4. Caribou Club, Jose Ortiz; 5. Renaisance Frolic, Antonio Gallardo; 6. Halladay, John Velazquez; 7. Hembree, Pablo Morales; 8. Real Story, Jesus Castanon; 9. My Bariley, to be announced. The field for the Suncoast Stakes: 1. Lucrezia, Daniel Centeno; 2. We the Clouds, Angel Suarez; ; 3. Two Sixty, Tyler Gaffalione; 4. Motu, Jose Ortiz; 5. Comical, Joel Rosario; 6. Miss Important, Willie Martinez; 7. Blame Debbie, John Velazquez; 8. Turtle Trax, Julien Leparoux; 9. Embossed, Pablo Morales.
The purses may have been down for the Pegasus World Cup races yesterday, but the bottom line was up.Total wagering on the card at Gulfstream Park checked in at $41,896,435 on a warm, sunny day in South Florida, a big boost of 10.9% from the $37,786,967 wagered on a rainy Pegasus Day a year ago. Saturday's handle was just a shade under Gulfstream's all-time record of $41,983,882 set in 2018.
Beyond that, it would be no surprise if Gulfstream officials let out a sigh of relief over Mucho Gusto's victory in the $2.94 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes as he was not one of the five horses who would have generated a single winning ticket and the jackpot payout in the Rainbow Pick 6 wager. There were five horses who would have produced a single winning ticket, and, quite surprisingly, one of them was Higher Power, the 5-2 betting favorite who finished 10th and last. The other single winning-ticket possibilities were on War Story (third), Bodexpress (fifth), Tenfold (sixth) and True Timber (eighth). Without a single winner, there will be a mandatory payout of the pool today with a carryover of $3,612,594, and Gulfstream officials estimate there could be a Pick 6 pool of at least $15 million. Winners of the the Pick 6 Saturday still made a major score, collecting $394,349 for a 20-cent ticket.
HALLANDALE BEACH - The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool for Thursday’s program at Gulfstream Park will be guaranteed at $4 million. The multi-race wager went unsolved for the 38th day of the 2019-2020 Championship Meet at Gulfstream Monday, and multiple tickets with six winners were each worth $1,421. A mandatory payout of the pool is scheduled for Sunday, when the entire pool will be shared by those ticket-holders with the most winners. Should the Rainbow 6 continue to go unsolved through Saturday’s Pegasus World Cup Day card, the pool is expected to exceed $10 million.
Pegasus Post-Position Draw Post positions will be drawn and odds assigned for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup and $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf today at 11:30 a.m. at Frankey’s Sports Bar at The Village at Gulfstream Park. The two Pegasus World Cup races, presented by Runhappy, along with seven other stakes races, will be contested Saturday. The draw for both races will be shown live on GulfstreamPark.com and XBTV.com.
HALLANDALE BEACH - The 20-cent Rainbow 6 went unsolved for the 32nd consecutive racing day of the 2019-2020 Championship Meet Sunday, producing a carryover jackpot of $2,371,994 for Wednesday’s program. Multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $2,223. Million-Dollar Spice Is Nice Debuts Impressively Todd Pletcher unveiled an exciting 3-year-old filly prospect in Spice Is Nice on Sunday’s program. The daughter of Curlin scored a 12-length victory in Race 6, a mile maiden special weight race. Spice Is Nice, who was purchased for $1.05 million at the 2017 Keeneland September sale by Robert and Lawana Low, rated off the early pace before moving to the lead along the rail under John Velazquez on the turn into the stretch and drawing clear. Spice Is Nice ran a mile in 1:36.06 in her impressive debut. Earlier on the card, Motivated Seller, a 3-year-old daughter of Into Mischief trained by Chad Brown, set a fast pressured pace before drawing away to a six-length score. Owned by Klaravich Stables Inc., Motivated Seller ran six furlongs in 1:10.99 under Javier Castellano in her career debut.
Who’s Hot: Luis Saez tripled Sunday, scoring aboard Mr. Atila ($6) in Race 2, By the Sey Shore ($11.40) in Race 5, and Bold Painter ($14.40) in Race 7. Defending champ Irad Ortiz Jr. rode a pair of winners, scoring aboard Hard Count ($2.40) in Race 3 and New York’s Finest ($5) in Race 9.
LAUREL, MD – Without a favorite winning even one race, there were seven winning tickets in Friday’s Stronach 5, each returning $25,941. The wager, with a 12-percent takeout, had a guaranteed pool of $100,000, but the final total handle reached $206,397. The lowest payoff in the sequence was $11.20, and that came in the opening leg at Laurel Park. Also featured were races from Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park and Golden Gate Fields. Friday’s Stronach 5 Sequence: ? Leg One: Laurel Park 8th Race: Factor It In - $11.20 ? Leg Two: Santa Anita 1sr Race: Lavender - $13.40 ? Leg Three: Gulfstream Park 9th Race: Ekhitibaar - $14.40 ? Leg Four: Golden Gate Fields: Hot n’Famous - $12.80 ? Leg Five: Gulfstream Park Race 10th Race: Lady Grace - $13.40
The minimum wager on the multi-race, multi-track Stronach 5 is $1. If there are no tickets with five winners, the entire pool is carried over to the next Friday.
The Rainbow 6 at Gulfstream survived again, and there's a guaranteed pool of $2.5 million today. The multi-race wager went unsolved for the 30th consecutive racing day of the 2019-2020 Championship Meet, and multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $13,234.
HALLANDALE BEACH - The 20-cent Rainbow 6 pool will be guaranteed at $2 million Thursday at Gulfstream Park. The multi-race wager went unsolved for the 28th consecutive day of the 2019-2020 Championship Meet today, when multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $20,721. There will also be a Super Hi-5 carryover of $3,903.83 heading into Thursday’s program.
WHO'S HOT - Irad Ortiz Jr. rode three winners on today’s program, scoring aboard Hey Kitten ($3.80) in Race 4, Elusive Ro ($7.40) in Race 7, and Codrington ($4) in Race 8.