Daniel Alonso’s Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator – Twinkling) passed the $2-million mark in earnings with an authoritative victory in Saturday’s $1,250,000, Gr. II Oaklawn Handicap. Pressing the pace from the start, he went for the lead on the turn, took over in the stretch and eased away to a two-length victory.

    Trained by Saffie A. Joseph Jr., the 4-year-old has posted six graded stakes wins, compiled a 23-8-2-4 career record and earned $2,291,685. At the 2021 OBS Spring Sale, he turned in an Under Tack eighth in :10 2/5 and was purchased for $37,000 out of the Top Line Sales consignment.  

    Mellon Patch’s Patriot Spirit (Constitution – Mistical Plan) took the lead shortly after the break in Sunday’s $200,000 Illinois Derby at Hawthorne and never looked back, en route to an effortless 5 3/4-length victory.  It’s the second stakes win for the 3-year-old colt trained by Michael B. Campbell, now 7-3-0-1 with $208,300 in earnings. He was purchased for $80,000 out of the Clary Bloodstock consignment at the 2023 OBS March Sale after breezing an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat. 

    HIP No. 915, a daughter of Nyquist consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne) Agent, was sold to Donato Lanni, Agent for Baoma Corp. for $850,000 to top the fourth and final session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2024 Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. The dark bay or brown filly, whose Under Tack eighth in :9 4/5 was the Saturday session’s co-fastest, is out of Amagansett, by Tapit, a daughter of graded stakes-placed stakes winner Twirl (IRE).

    Kimmel & Sallusto, Agent, went to $725,000 for Hip No. 995, a son of McKinzie consigned by Caliente Thoroughbreds, Agent. The bay colt, who breezed a quarter in :21 flat, is out of Bernadreamy, by Bernardini, a daughter of Gr. I stakes-winner Dream Empress.

    Hip No. 1005, a son of Twirling Candy who breezed an eighth in a co-fastest :9 4/5 on Saturday was purchased by Marquee Bloodstock, Agent, for $700,000. Consigned by Global Thoroughbreds, Agent, the bay colt is out of Bite the Stars, by Flatter, a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Stanford.

    Hip No. 1075, a daughter of Practical Joke consigned by Niall Brennan Stables, Agent, was sold to 30 Year Farm for $700,000. The bay filly, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat, is out of Choir, by Pulpit, a daughter of graded stakes-placed stakes-winning two-time OBS graduate Emmy Darling.

    Hip No. 920, a son of Uncle Mo consigned by Paul Sharp, Agent, went to D. J. Stable & Robert Cotran for $685,000. The bay colt, who galloped at the Under Tack Show, is a half-brother to graded stakes-winner First Captain out of graded stakes- winner America, by A.P. Indy.

    Hip No. 974, a daughter of McKinzie consigned by Julie Davies, Agent, was sold to Bradley Thoroughbreds for $675,000. The bay filly, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat, is out of Bay Harbor, by Speightstown, a daughter of graded stakes-winner Our Khrysty.

    Three Amiwgos ent to $600,000 for Hip No. 928, a daughter of Tiz the Law consigned by On Point Training & Sales. The chestnut filly, who breezed an eighth on Saturday in a co-fastest :9 4/5, is out of stakes-placed Animal Appeal, by Leroidesanimaux (BRZ), from the family of stakes-winner Triple Card.

    Hip No. 972, Metallix, a son of Quality Road consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, Agent for Chester & Mary Broman, was sold to Pedro Lanz, Agent for KAS Stables, for $600,000. The bay colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat, is a half-brother to graded stakes-winner Coinage out of Gr. I stakes-winner Bar of Gold, by Medaglia d’Oro.

    Hip No. 1143, a daughter of McKinzie whose Under Tack quarter in :20 1/5 equaled the track record, was sold to Bill Childs for $600,000. Consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, the bay filly is a half-sister to graded stakes-placed stakes -winner Strategic Dreams out of D’fashion, by D’Wildcat.

    Hip No. 936, a son of Not This Time consigned by Tom McCrocklin, Agent, went to Lael Stable for $550,000. The dark bay or brown colt, who breezed a quarter in :20 4/5, is a half brother to recent stakes-winner Laughing Boy out of Applauding, by Congrats, from the family of Gr. I stakes-winner Shedaresthedevil.

    Hip No. 1064, a son of Nyquist consigned by GOP Racing Stable Corp. was sold to Donato Lanni, Agent for Zedan Racing Stable for $525,000. The dark bay or brown colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat, is out of Charlatana by Harlan’s Holiday,  a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Laoban.

    Hip No. 1056, a son of Omaha Beach consigned by Richardson Bloodstock, Agent, was purchased by Spendthrift Farm for $510,000. The bay colt, who breezed a quarter in :21 flat, is out of Caxambas Pass, by Tiznow, a half-sister to Gr. I stakes-winner Point of Entry.

    Bow River Ranch, Hoby Kight, Agent, went to $500,000 for Hip No. 1044, a son of OBS graduate Into Mischief consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent. The bay colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat, is a full brother to graded stakes- winner Into Chocolate out of Candy Drawer, by Candy Ride (ARG).

    Hip No. 1191, a son of Tiz the Law consigned by Britton Peak, Agent, was purchased by Taproot Bloodstock, Agent, for $500,000. The bay colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5, is out of Enough, by Arch, a half-sister to stakes-winner Plenty of Vision.

    For the session, 141 horses sold for a total of $19,701,500 compared with 168 horses grossing $22,781,000 at last year’s final session. The average price was $139,727, compared with $135,601 a year ago, while the median price was $65,000, identical to 2023. The buyback percentage was 21.2%; it was 12.9% in 2023.

    For the entire Spring Sale, 633 horses sold for a total of $82,086,500, compared to 699 horses bringing $90,405,000, last year. The average was a sale record $129,679, eclipsing last year’s $129,335 while the median price was a sale record $70,000, compared with $65,000 a year ago. The buyback percentage was 19.2%; it was 16.8% in 2023.

    Hip No. 199, a daughter of Caracaro consigned by Global Thoroughbreds LLC, Agent, was sold to Three Amigos for $775,000 top the first session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2024 Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. The bay filly, whose quarter in :20 2/5 was fastest at Monday’s Under Tack session, is a half sister to stakes placed Twirled out of Key d’Oro, by Medaglia d’Oro, from the family of graded one stakes winner Key Phrase.

    Hip No. 291, a son of Global Campaign consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, was sold to  Pedro Lanz, Agent for KAS Stables for $650,000. The bay colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat, is out of Maid in Heaven, by Yes It’s True, a full sister to graded stakes-winner Yesbyjimminy.

    Hip No. 166, a daughter of Uncle Mo consigned by Tom McCrocklin, Agent, was sold to Justin Casse for M. V. Magnier for $600,000. The bay filly, whose Under Tack quarter in :20 3/5 was co-fastest at Sunday’s Under Tack session, is a half sister to grade one stakes placed Be You out of graded stakes winner Jacaranda, by Congrats, a half sister to grade one stakes winner Constitution.

    Hip No. 125, a son of Nyquist consigned by Thorostock LLC, Agent, was sold to Spendthrift Farm / MKW Racing and Breeding LLC for $550,000. The dark bay or brown colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat, is a half brother to graded stakes placed stakes winner Monday Morning QB out of How My Heart Works, by Not For Love, from the family of graded stakes winner Cyberknife. 

    Hip No. 153, a son of Nyquist consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, was purchased by James Divito, Agent, for $460,000. The dark bay or brown colt, who breezed an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat, is a half brother to stakes placed Elle’s Town out of graded stakes placed stakes winner Irish Presence, by champion OBS graduate Midnight Lute.

    Hip No. 295, a daughter of Bolt d’Oro consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, was sold for $460,000 to Bregman Family Racing LLC. The bay filly, who breezed an eighth in :9 4/5, is out of Major Z, by Candy Ride (ARG), from the family of champion Shared Belief.

    Woodford Thoroughbreds went to $390,000 for Hip No. 127, a daughter of Omaha Beach consigned by JVC Training and Sales, Agent. The bay filly, who worked an eighth in :10 flat, is out of Humor Me Dixie, by Distorted Humor, a daughter of graded stakes winner Dixie City.

    Hip No. 302, a son of Not This Time consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, went to D. J. Stable LLC for $380,000. The bay colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5, is a half brother to stakes winner Balandeen out of graded stakes winner Mama Kimbo, by Discreet Cat.

    Hip No. 143, a daughter of Quality Road consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, was sold to Bradley Thoroughbreds LLC for $370,000. The bay filly, who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5, is a half sister to graded stakes winner Lovely Bernadette out of Inlovewithlove, by Bernstein.

    Hip No. 136, a son of Street Sense who breezed an Under Tack quarter in :21 flat, went to Taproot Bloodstock, Agent, for $340,000. Consigned by Pick View LLC, Agent, the bay colt is out of In a Snit, by Lookin At Lucky, a half sister to graded stakes winner Blind Date.

    Hip No. 109, a son  Vekoma consigned by Kinsman Farm, went to Reeves Thoroughbred Racing for $325,000. The bay colt, who breezed an Undeofr Tack eighth in :10 flat, is out of Hidden Facts, by The Factor, a daughter of stakes winner Mystic City.

    Hip No. 106, a daughter of Win Win Win consigned by Ocala Stud, was sold for $310,000 to Champion Equine LLC. The bay filly, who worked a quarter in :21 1/5, is out of Hello Juliet, by Adios Charlie, a half sister to stakes winner Lisa’s Booby Trap.

    Speedway Stables also paid $300,000 for Hip No. 16, daughter of Good Magic consigned by Hartley / DeRenzo Thoroughbreds.

    HALLANDALE BEACH - Longtime South Florida trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. notched win No. 2,500 at Gulfstream Park when Raging Fury scored by four lengths in Race 6 of a 10-race program.

    The highly-respected 74-year-old trainer watched the milestone victory in Ocala, where he will attend next week’s OBS April Spring Sale. “I feel very fortunate. I’ve been very blessed in this game. I’ve been blessed with great owners. I’ve been blessed with great support, especially from my wife and family,” said Plesa, whose wife, Laurie, owns Racing Fury with longtime client Donald Mensh. “Laurie just asked me, ‘How do you feel?’ I said, ‘Who would have thought I would ever win 2,500 races?’”

    Plesa, the son of highly-respected trainer Eddie Plesa Sr., has been based in South Florida throughout his career but has enjoyed Gr. 1 success out of town. He saddled Itsmyluckyday for a victory in the 2014 Woodward at Belmont following a second-place finish in the 2013 Preakness Stakes. Plesa-trained Three Ring, winner of the 1999 Davona Dale (G2) and Bonnie Miss (G2) at Gulfstream, captured the Acorn (G1) at Belmont Park.

    Raging Fury ($10.20) took command at the top of the stretch under Edgard Zayas and drew off to win the $35,000 claiming race. Just two races later, Epona’s Hope ($32.20) awarded Plesa with Win No. 2,501 with an upset victory in the Race 8 feature, a five-furlong optional claiming allowance for 3-year-old fillies on turf.

    Plesa, obviously, hasn’t grown tired of winning. “I’m up here for a reason. I’m not up here for the weather,” Plesa said. “I’m not quite ready to hang it up. We bought a couple of 2-year-olds earlier in the year. I’m going to see if I can buy a couple more right now.”

    NOTES: Ralph Nicks visited the Gulfstream Park winner’s circle Saturday, a day before he will step away from training. Nicks-trained Fast Chad ($7.60) scored a dominating win in Race 1, a maiden claiming race for 3-year-olds. The 57-year-old horseman, who assisted Hall of Famer Bill Mott during the Cigar years before going out on his own to win 722 races, plans to travel throughout the U.S. following Sunday’s program, for which he has entered three horses.

    OLDSMAR – After beginning her career 0-for-4, 3-year-old Florida-bred filly Hopesndreams has turned Tampa Bay Downs into her own personal playground this season.

    The daughter of former Pleasant Acres stallion Ride On Curlin-Exchangeable, by Exchange Rate, won for the fourth time from five starts at the meet in yesterday’s sixth race, holding off a belated rally by Glorious Lady in the $25,000 starter/optional claiming event to prevail by three-quarters of a length under jockey Jesus Castanon.

    Hopesndreams’ only defeat here came on March 24, when she finished third in the Florida Cup Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies Stakes.

    Bred by Helen and Joe Barbazon, and owned and trained by Mike Dini, Hopesndreams sped the 6-furlong distance on a fast track in 1:09.78, 1.11 seconds off the Oldsmar track record. With less than four weeks remaining in the meet, she trails only Paper Mansion (5-for-5) in victories.

    Surprisingly, Hopesndreams’ time was only second-best on the card. Ritabook, who was running for a claiming price of $25,000, drew away through the stretch under apprentice jockey Gabriel Maldonado in the stretch to win the second race by 3 ¼ lengths from D’ tiger Lily. Ritabook’s winning time was 1:09.73.

    The 5-year-old Florida-bred mare (Uncaptured-Four White Legs, by Albertus Maximus) won for the third time in 21 starts, with eight seconds. She is owned by Monarch Stables and trained by John Rigattieri.

    Maldonado, who is third in the Oldsmar standings with 41 winners, won the first three races on the card, followed by two seconds. He scored in the first race on Tiz a Beast, a 4-year-old Florida-bred gelding owned by TCBR Stable and trained by Jennifer Paragallo. Maldonado added the third on the turf with Lucky Girl Coco, a 4-year-old Florida-bred filly owned by Coco Ranch and trained by Guillermo Morales Jr. Maldonado had previously ridden three winners here on Feb. 9.

    Dini sent out two winners as an owner and trainer. He won the seventh race, a 1-mile turf claiming event, with 3-year-old Florida-bred filly Platinum Diva, who raced past the leaders late to post a length-and-a-half victory under Charlie Marquez. Trendy finished second.

    A Florida-bred daughter of another Pleasant Acres stallion, Treasure Beach-Platinumplus, by Mizzen Mast, Platinum Diva was also bred by Helen and Joe Barbazon. Platinum Diva was claimed from the race for $20,000 by trainer Renaldo Richards for new owner Paula S. Capestro.

    Tim Hamm notched two training victories, as well. Both came on the turf. He won the fifth race with E Minor, a 4-year-old gelding owned by Blazing Meadows Farm and ridden by Angel Arroyo. Hamm added the ninth with Harrow, a 6-year-old gelding owned by Ruth Pelfrey, Gerard Nicoletta, Ella D Racing Stable and Blazing Meadows Farm and ridden by Pablo Morales.

Around the oval - Racing continues Friday with a nine-race card beginning at 12:20 p.m. 

    HALLANDALE BEACH - JR Racing’s Slide Show put on quite a show today at Gulfstream Park while romping to a 12-length debut victory over the Tapeta surface.

    The son of Neolithic broke alertly from the gate and led his six rivals on a merry chase on his way to graduating in Race 3, a mile-and-70-yard maiden special weight event for 3-year-olds.

    Trainer Jose Garoffalo had confidence in Slide Show ($12.60), entering him in his debut in open company and around two turns, but the colt bred in Florida by the late NFL player Freddie Hyatt exceeded his expectations. “I always had faith in him and knew he was a good horse. The older he got the better he performed. I was impressed with his debut,” Garoffalo said. “I was expecting a good race but not that good.”

    Slide Show ran a mile and 70 yards in 1:40.50 under Miguel Vasquez, who rode three winners on today’s program.

    “We’re very happy with the horse. He did it easy,” said Garoffalo, who hopes to schedule an optional claiming allowance for Florida-breds for Slide Show’s next start. “We’ll take it step by step.”

    Kid Cairo, a Mark Casse-trained son of Cairo Prince, finished second in his debut, a neck ahead of Annointed, a son of Justify.

    HALLANDALE BEACH - Repole Stable’s Fierceness recaptured his championship form in dramatic fashion Saturday at Gulfstream Park, where the son of City of Light overpowered his opposition by a record 13 ½ lengths in the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa.

    “That was a pretty awesome performance. That’s what we see in the mornings when we breeze him, a special talent,” Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said. “That's why it was so perplexing his two races that he didn't run brilliantly. He's three times brilliant and two times has had off days.”

Fierceness provided Pletcher with his record-extending eighth Curlin Florida Derby victory while posting the largest winning margin in the 73-year history of the tradition-rich 1 1/8-mile stakes for 3-year-olds, eclipsing Empire Maker’s old record of 9 ¾ lengths set in 2003.

The juvenile champion of 2023 joined Pletcher’s previous Curlin Florida Derby winners, Forte (2023), Known Agenda (2021), Audible (2018), Always Dreaming (2017), Materiality (2015), Constitution (2014), and Quality Road (2009).

Fierceness, who finished a disappointing third in the Feb. 2, Gr. II Holy Bull in his 3-year-old debut after clinching the Eclipse Award with a 6 ¼-length victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita, earned 100 qualifying points for the May 4 Kentucky Derby, where he will no doubt vie for favoritism in the first leg of the Triple Crown.

  “From a talent perspective, he has it all,” Pletcher said. “Like everyone else in the Derby, you’ve got to hope you draw a good post, you get a good trip, and you like Churchill Downs – all those things.”

    Despite his subpar showing in the Holy Bull, Fierceness was sent to post as the even-money favorite in a field reduced to nine upon the early morning withdrawals of his stablemate, Bail Us Out, and Seminole Chief. The Repole Stable homebred put on a show for his backers and everyone else with his dazzling effort, in which he took control on the first turn and was never threatened thereafter. Fierceness set fractions of :24.06 and :47.50 for the first half-mile, with Grand Mo the First and Catalytic in pursuit, before drawing away while geared down by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.
    “It was pretty easy. This is what I expected last time out of him. He had been working lights out. He broke well today, and I just let him have it. I let them come and get him, and he dominated the whole race. When he got to the backstretch and switched to the turn, he picked it up and so I let him do it. He was comfortable,” Velazquez said. “Then at the quarter pole, I gave him a little smooch and he picked it up right away. It was pretty easy. This is why we’re here. This is what we work for, for opportunities like this. It’s exciting.”

Fierceness ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.22 to also provide Velazquez with his record-extending sixth Florida Derby success. The Hall of Famer previously won aboard Audible, Always Dreaming, Materiality, Orb (2013) and Quality Road.

Fierceness has bounced back from a subpar showing before. After winning his debut at Saratoga last August, he finished seventh over a sloppy Aqueduct track in the Oct. 7, Gr. I Champagne. The Pletcher trainee redeemed himself with his dominating Breeders’ Cup Juvenile win.

    Catalytic, who was making his stakes debut in only his third career start, held on to finish second under Julien Leparoux, 2 ½ lengths ahead of Grand Mo the First, who nosed out 5-2 second choice Conquest Warrior for third.

    Tami Bobo, Julie Davies and George Isaac’s Catalytic won his debut by 5 ½ lengths at Gulfstream last October and came back five months later to finish second in a March 8 optional claiming allowance at Tampa Bay Downs. “He’s a good horse. It wasn’t the ideal circumstance, but he was brave today. I had a lot of respect for some of the horses in the race and he ran a really good second,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said after Catalytic earned 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points. “Nothing was going to beat the winner. We should improve a lot from this. Hopefully he comes out well, and we’ve got five weeks to keep dreaming.”

  Trainer Victor Barboza Jr. is hopeful that Grand Mo the First, who was beaten by only a neck while finishing third in the March 9 Tampa Bay Derby, will make the Kentucky Derby field. “I’m very happy with the race. Today he earned 25 points. He has 40 points,” Barboza said. “He has a good chance to make the Kentucky Derby.”

    Courtlandt Farms’ Conquest Warrior, who was coming off a pair of impressive victories during the Championship Meet, was never in contention while finishing fourth.

    “He didn’t break real sharp, so I think it got him out of position a little bit. He was kind of having to wind through all that dirt and stuff,” McGaughey said. “He’s still a young horse. He just needs to learn.”

    Conquest Warrior finished 4 ¾ lengths ahead of Holy Bull winner Hades, who raced evenly to check in fifth.

    “It was a terrible trip. I had a lot of trouble on the first turn and at the three-eighths [pole]. He wasn’t handling the track today very well,” Hades’ jockey Paco Lopez said. “I can’t believe it the way he was training here. I’m very surprised. He tried hard, but it was not like the last race.”

    Fierceness gave Repole Stable back-to-back Florida Derby wins, following Forte, who was co-owned by St. Elias Stable.

    “It’s surreal. I don’t know what to tell you. It’s not normal to do it once, [but] twice in back-to-back years to win this race and go in with the Kentucky Derby favorite? As you guys know from the past, a lot can happen from now to post time, but we saw something pretty special today,” owner Mike Repole said.

    “It’s just special. I got 70 family members, and they wanted it for me as much as I wanted it for them. It’s just very special,” he added. “I said before, we forget he’s only had four races. He had a layoff. That was just really special. I told Todd if he wins by five or is beat by five, I wouldn’t be surprised. How could you be?”

    OLDSMAR - Chamber of Commerce weather – clear skies, temperatures in the 70s and enough wind to keep things interesting – greeted a crowd of 3,720 enthusiastic racegoers to Tampa Bay Downs Sunday for the 21st annual Florida Cup, a collection of six $110,000 stakes races for registered Florida-breds. 

    While the turf course was listed as “good” rather than firm for the first time since the 2013 Florida Cup, horsemen, jockeys and track officials praised the efforts of the track maintenance crew for their preparation of both the turf and dirt track after considerable rain the previous two days.

    In short, the stage was perfectly set for products of the state’s Thoroughbred industry to put on a first-class show, and they didn’t disappoint.

    Jockey Paco Lopez was the star of the afternoon’s competition, winning the last three Florida Cup races, including a stakes-record performance on 5-year-old gelding Forever Souper in the ESMARK Turf Classic. But, as always, the Thoroughbreds captured the public’s imagination, striving for excellence with those qualities of determination and courage that have long stamped the industry in the Sunshine State.

ESMARK TURF CLASSIC

    About the last thing Lopez expected from 5-year-old gelding Forever Souper was a stakes record after two days of rain soaked the Oldsmar turf, turning it to “good” rather than firm for the Florida Cup for the first time in 11 years. But the electronic timer didn’t lie: Forever Souper ran the mile-and-an-eighth in 1:46.87, bettering the former mark of 1:47 flat set in 2010 by Picou. Forever Souper’s time was .61 seconds off Hall of Fame member Tepin’s course record for the distance.

    “Oh, wow. Really? I didn’t know that,” Lopez said with a wide smile. “(Trainer) Michael (Trombetta) had him ready, and the horse did it very well. I had plenty of horse today.”

    The victory was the second Florida Stakes triumph on the card for Trombetta and breeder-owner Live Oak, the legendary Ocala showcase of Charlotte C. Weber. Forever Souper’s triumph happened the fifth in the ESMARK Turf Classic for Live Oak Plantation, a mark it also reached in the Equistaff Sophomore Turf earlier on the card with Crystal Quest.
    
    Happyisasdhappydoes set a measured pace under Antonio Gallardo and appeared dangerous on the backside, at least until Lopez asked Forever Souper to get going. The rider angled him to the outside for the stretch run, and from there he posted a convincing length-and-a-quarter victory from Happyisashappydoes, with Me and Mr. C finishing third.

    “I wasn’t really worried (about Happisashappydoes) stealing the race, because it’s a long stretch and I had plenty of horse,” Lopez said.

    The son of American Pharoah-Mighty Souper, by War Front, paid $3.00 to win as the wagering favorite. He is 6-for-13 lifetime, having won the Sunshine Turf Stakes at Gulfstream on Jan. 21 in his previous start. First-place earnings of $60,000 boosted his career figure to $272,255.

    Trombetta was ecstatic about Forever Souper’s performance. “We are very fond of him. He's been a lot of fun,” Trombetta said via telephone. “He's a cool cat, this horse. It would be awfully hard to beat Tepin's course record, but the stakes record is really great.

    “We were looking forward to this race with him. After the last race at Gulfstream, there just wasn't enough room in the schedule to try to squeeze another race in that would make sense. I figured, you know what? We'll just point him to this race and give him plenty of time. He came through really well. Paco rides this horse really well and (Forever Souper) seems to run right out from underneath him.”

STONEHEDGE FARM SOUTH SOPHOMORE FILLIES

    Expectations were high among the connections of Mystic Lake entering the race, and the daughter of Mo Town-Salty Soul, by Itsmyluckyday, didn’t disappoint. She moved to the lead shortly after the start and was never threatened, with Edgard Zayas riding high in the saddle until asking for her best at the quarter-mile pole. The result was a 3 ½-length victory from Girvin’s Princess in a time of 1:23.37 for the 7-furlong distance. Hopesndreams finished third in the six-horse field.

    The victory was the third in seven starts for Mystic Lake, who was supplemented to the field at a cost of $2,000 after not being originally nominated. Mystic Lake had won the Gasparilla Stakes here on Jan. 13, also under Zayas, in her 3-year-old debut. First-place money of $60,000 raised her career bankroll to $183,266. “She broke super sharp out of the gate and as soon as she took the lead, she kind of relaxed and from there I knew I was in a good spot,” Zayas said. “She can be a little nervous, but she relaxed so good today and when I asked her, she really kicked on and kept on rolling.”

    Mystic Lake paid $3.20 to win as the betting favorite. She is owned by C2 Racing Stable and Stefania Farms and trained by Saffie A. Joseph Jr. Peggy Costanzo bred her. Clint Cornett, a partner in C2 Racing Stable with his brother Mark, said they were able to relax as well as their horse when Mystic Lake started so nicely.

    “As long as she got out of the gate and got her trip, we felt pretty confident she was going to do exactly what she did,” Clint Cornett said. “We cut her back to 7 furlongs (after a fifth-place effort on March 2 at Gulfstream in the Grade III, 1-mile Herecomesthebride Stakes on the turf), and I think she liked it. You could tell on the backside she was really relaxed, and (Zayas) really didn’t ask her until late.”

    Joseph, who watched the race from south Florida, was delighted with the performance by both filly and rider. "She ran well. I thought Edgard was very smart,” Joseph said. “He broke well and was able to keep Paco (Lopez, on Miss Sayley from post 1) on the inside and not put on too much pressure. She showed up and ran a big race, and she was very professional.
I have no plans for the future with her yet. This race was a decider for her so I'll talk it over with the owners and then come up with a plan.” 

PLEASANT ACRES STALLIONS DISTAFF TURF

    Every time his 4-year-old filly Charlie’s Wish runs, owner Mark Queen (Royalight Racing LLC) feels as if he is playing with house money. He acquired the son of First Dude-Superior Sarah, by Werblin, when a member of the horse’s breeding partnership, Three Gin Guys Stable, died and the other two partners (who were clients of Queen’s) gifted him the horse.

    “They gave her to me as a yearling, and it’s so nice when you raise them yourselves,” Queen said after Charlie’s Wish scored a half-length victory from a hard-charging Mohawk Trail. The pace-setter, Baby Steps, finished third, while defending race champion and favorite Sweet Dani Girl settled for fourth.

    Charlie’s Wish paid $14.60 after stopping the timer in 1:40.94 for the mile-and-a-sixteenth distance, .52 seconds off Speed Seeker’s course record. Charlie’s Wish improved to 4-for-14 with five seconds, and first-place money of $70,000 raised her earnings to $296,474.

    Queen, the son of legendary 88-year-old Florida breeder-owner Harold Queen, also received a bonus of a stallion fee from sponsor Pleasant Acres Stallions for up to $10,000.

    It’s doubtful he’ll use it to breed Charlie’s Wish any time soon. With Lopez en route to his third consecutive victory, the winner moved smartly along the inside on the turn for home to wrest the lead from Baby Steps, then held off Mohawk Trail courageously.

    “Paco did a great job with this horse,” said trainer David Fawkes, who also teamed with Lopez to win the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Sophomore with Pure Class. “The last time she ran on the grass (a third-place finish on Jan. 14 in the Sunshine Filly and Mare Turf Stakes at Gulfstream), she was really green She’s growing up now, like all of them.”

    Lopez was momentarily worried he might have moved prematurely on Charlie’s Wish, but he didn’t want to get beaten to the punch by Javier Castellano, who had Sweet Dani Girl in prime striking position outside of Baby Steps. Lopez needn’t have worried, as his horse was best, plain and simple. "My filly just ran very good. She had been working well, but I was a little surprised how well she ran,” Lopez said.

    Lopez also won the fifth race on the card on 8-year-old gelding Klickitat for owner In Front Racing Stables and trainer Jose Francisco D’Angelo, giving the rider four winners on the card.

EQUISTAFF SOPHOMORE TURF

    Javier Castellano wasn’t concerned when Prevent opened up a 5-length lead on the backstretch, posting moderate fractions of 23.38 seconds for the quarter-mile and 47.85 for the half. He was confident his horse would respond when asked, and Crystal Quest didn’t let him down, powering to a ¾-length victory from the determined pace-setter. Ninja Star finished third.

    The victory was a record fifth in the race for owner Live Oak Plantation, which bred Crystal Quest under its Live Oak Stud banner. Michael Trombetta trains the son of Uncle Mo-Giant Crystal, by Giant’s Causeway, for breeder-owner Charlotte C. Weber. Crystal Quest’s time for the mile-and-a-sixteenth was 1:41.86. The victory was his third in four starts, and his first stakes effort had Castellano singing his praises.

    “I liked the way he finished. He is learning a lot and I think this win is huge for him,” said Castellano, who was riding Crystal Quest for the first time. “I think he can go on from here to the graded (stakes level).”

    Trombetta was pleased, and also a bit relieved, after his colt’s third consecutive victory since Jan. 28. "We were a little concerned running back on short rest but he bounced out of his last race pretty good, so we didn't want to pass up this opportunity,” Trombetta said. “He was doing well so fortunately he was able to handle it. He certainly seems to like the turf and the artificial surface (at Gulfstream).

    “He's always done everything right. He was pretty green in his first start – he walked out of the gate and showed us he wasn't ready to do it yet, so I had to go back to work and kind of put some good works in him and give him a little bit more time to put it together. Since then he's done everything really well. Javier was patient with him and when he asked him, he kicked on pretty good. He's just starting to mature and really come into himself so we're real happy with him,” Trombetta added.

    Castellano was content to let Prevent open up early. “I didn’t want to rush my horse out of his style,” he said. “He’s a come-from-behind horse no matter what the pace is, so I just picked out a good target and encouraged him a little at the 3/8-mile pole, and I asked him turning for home. I liked the way he responded.”

    Riding for connections such as Weber and Trombetta never loses its meaning, even to a veteran such as Castellano. “She is a wonderful lady who has supported the sport for many years, and Michael did a great job getting him ready. I’m grateful for the opportunity to ride for them.” Crystal quest paid $4 to win as the even-money favorite. First-place money of $60,000 boosted his earnings to $122,830.

NYRABETS SPRINT

    Even though Sibelius’s credentials as a world-class sprinter are well-established, jockey Samy Camacho couldn’t help but blame himself For Mish’s neck defeat against last year’s Dubai Golden Shaheen winner on Feb. 10 at Tampa Bay Downs in the Pelican Stakes. Without Sibelius to contend with today, the 7-year-old gray gelding Mish displayed his class, moving to the lead effortlessly on the turn for home before gearing down late for a 3 ¼-length victory from If Not for Luck. Zydeceaux finished third.

    Mish, a son of Field Commission-Wicked Great, by Greatness, improved to 9-for-28 with the victory. Owned by the C2 Racing Stable partnership of brothers Clint and Mark Cornett and trained by Saffie A. Joseph, Jr., Mish was bred by Joyce Mary Kielty. “It’s a huge win. He’s a beautiful horse, and he came in sharp today like he did (in the Pelican). I was in a perfect spot from the outside, in the clear, and when we turned for home he took off,” Camacho said.

    Clint Cornett said they had considered sending Mish to Dubai for a rematch against Sibelius in Saturday’s upcoming Dubai Golden Shaheen, but sometimes the best plans are the ones you don’t follow through on. Clint didn’t seem in the mood to wonder “what-if” after such an impressive triumph, achieved in a time of 1:09.82 for the 6-furlong distance.
“He ran a good second (in the Pelican) and he ran well today. He’s Mr. Consistency,” Cornett said. “He keeps doing his thing.” Mish has finished first or second in eight of his last nine starts.

    Watching via simulcast, trainer Joseph viscerally experienced what happens when an experienced Thoroughbred pro who is still at or near the peak of his ability is allowed to do his thing. “This horse is the gift that keeps on giving, most definitely,” Joseph said. “He lost some form last year so we backed off of him and went back to some easier races. Once he found his form again he's been ultra-consistent.

    “Today's race worked in his favor. He sat in a perfect spot and after that he just did what he should. He's a good old gelding who's very solid, and even when he gets beat he shows up. In his last race, Sibelius just beat him. Mish likes Tampa, too, and today he came back here and won a stakes.” And when he walked back to his barn, his gray coat glistening with sweat, he donned the winner’s blanket with a pride and bearing that was kind of awesome to see. First-place money of $60,000 increased Mish’s career bankroll to $473,682.

OCALA BREEDERS’ SALES SOPHOMORE

    JoAnn and Alex Lieblong’s colt Pure Class was somewhat overlooked by bettors in the eight-horse Ocala Breeders’ Sales Sophomore. But trainer David Fawkes and jockey Paco Lopez sensed they were sitting on a horse ready to take off after winning his previous start, a 6-furlong conditional allowance on Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park.

    “I talked to Paco before the race and said ‘What do you think?’ and he said ‘I want to be right off the pace and ask him turning for home,’ and that’s what he did,” Fawkes said. “This horse is still just learning. He’s not a slow learner and he’s doing great, but he’s still a big baby,” Fawkes said. And one with black stakes type to his credit. Pure Class paid $16.20 to win as the co-third wagering choice in the eight-horse field.

    Pure Class is a son of The Big Beast out of I’mclassyandsassy, by Master Command. He has three victories and three seconds from seven starts, and first-place earnings of $70,000 increased his bankroll to $176,140. His time for the 7-furlong distance was 1:23.77.

    Sugar Boy, the unbeaten (4-for-4) colt from Puerto Rico, finished second, with Everdoit third in his second race in eight days. Saybrook, making his third career start, ran creditably to hold fourth in the eight-horse field as the surprising 6-5 wagering favorite. Lopez has also been working Pure Class, and he thought that gave him an advantage today. “I felt comfortable with him, and I was confident he would respond when I asked him,” Lopez said. “He worked very good the last couple of times, and he’s doing better and better.” The race was the first outside OF Gulfstream Park for Pure Class.

    HALLANDALE BEACH - D. J. Stable and Robert Cotran’s Hades, who captured the Feb. 3 Holy Bull (G3) breezed a half-mile in 50.21 seconds Friday morning in preparation for a return to action in the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa March 30 at Gulfstream Park.

    Due to forecasts for heavy rain Friday and Saturday, trainer Joe Orseno opted to breeze Hades a day earlier than scheduled – a workout that was completed on Gulfstream’s fast main track.

    The 3-year-old gelded son of Awesome Slew will enter the Florida Derby undefeated in three starts. After rallying from far back to graduate at 5 ½ furlongs, Hades shook off heavy pressure in a seven-furlong optional claiming allowance before drawing off to victory by six lengths. In the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull Feb. 3, the Florida-bred gelding took control right from the start to set a pressured pace before again drawing off to win by two lengths.

    “He has exceeded my expectations,” Orseno said, “even with today’s last breeze going into the Florida Derby. “He did everything perfect. He just handles himself very professional. He gets things easily where other horses struggle.”

    At Palm Beach Downs, Repole Stable’s Fierceness, who finished a troubled third as the 1-5 favorite in the Holy Bull, breezed a half-mile in 47.43 seconds over a fast track at Palm Beach Downs Friday morning. After working in company with Be You, a Grade 1-placed Repole stablemate who is coming off an optional claiming allowance win, Fierceness galloped out five-furlongs in 1:00.63 under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez. “It went very well,” Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He looked great.”

    Fierceness was voted 2023 Eclipse Award 2-year-old male champion after winning the Nov. 3 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita by 6 ¼ lengths, rebounding from a disappointing performance in the Champagne (G1) at Aqueduct in his prior start.

    Notes: Frank DeLuca’s Frankie’s Empire, who finished third in the Fountain of Youth (G2) after winning the Swale (G3), breezed a half-mile in 48.02 seconds at Gulfstream Friday morning. The son of Classic Empire worked in company with Stonehedge LLC’s Davona Dale (G2) winner Fiona’s Magic, a leading prospect for the March 30 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) who was timed in 48.12. Both 3-year-olds are trained by Michael Yates.

Jockey Jose Ortiz has been confirmed to ride Conquest Warrior in the Florida Derby after riding the Shug McGaughey-trained colt to back-to-back wins during the Championship Meet… Edwin Gonzalez will return aboard Fountain of Youth and Swale runner-up Le Dom Bro for trainer Eniel Cordero in the Florida Derby. Le Dom Bro breezed a half-mile in 49.45 at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County Friday morning… Emisael Jaramillo has the mount on Victor Barboza Jr.-trained Grand Mo the First, who lost by a neck while finishing third in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2).

    The Players Championship is geared up for a bang-bang finish today in Ponte Vedra, with Xander Schauffele, at 17 under par, leading by one stroke over Wyndham Clark, who is one more ahead of lefty Brian Harman. Clark gave up the 36-hole lead he had forged by a pair of 7-under 65s, adding a Saturday 2-under 70 for his 16-under 200. Xander took the lead with a 7-under 65, while Harman made a huge jump with his 8-under 64 over the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course.

    There are six players within five shots of Xander, but he will be tough to run down if he continues his hot hand. 

    All the Gators missed the cut of 1 under: Camilo Villegas with 73-82, Billy Horschel with 71-74, and Tyson Alexander with 71-74. Senior Steve Stricker, the Champions Tour leader, took time out from the elderly tour but missed the cut with 72-74. 

    The leaders tee off just before 2 p. m., so it will be around 6 when a champ is crowned. 

Hip No. 533, a son of Not This Time consigned by Hartley / DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, Agent was sold to Pro Racing Stable LLC, Agent, for $1.5-million to top the second session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2024 March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. The bay colt, who breezed an Under Tack eighth in :9 4/5, is a half brother to stakes placed Pammy’s Ready out of Pammy Whammy, by War Front, from the family of stakes winner My Mogul.

    Hip No. 494, a son of Flatter consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, Agent, went to Marquee Bloodstock for $1.3-million. The dark bay or brown colt, who breezed an eighth in :9 4/5, is out of Napier, by OBS champion graduate Midnight Lute, a half sister to grade one stakes winner Obligatory.

    Hip No. 304, a daughter of Nyquist consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, who turned in an Under Tack eighth in :9 4/5, went to Justin Casse, Agent, for $750,000. The chestnut filly is out of High Heeled Girl, by Malibu Moon, a daughter of grade one stakes placed stakes winner High Heeled Hope.

    Joey Platts paid $750,000 for Hip No. 529, a son of Tiz the Law also consigned by Hartley / DeRenzo Thoroughbreds. The bay colt, whose eighth in :9 3/5 was the day’s co-fastest, is out of graded stakes placed Our Majesty, by OBS graduate Majesticperfection, a half sister to stakes winner Overvalued.

    Hip No. 445, a son of champion OBS graduate Mitole consigned Eddie Woods, Agent, went to Speedway Stables, LLC for $725,000. The dark bay or brown colt, who worked an eighth in :9 4/5, is a half brother to graded stakes wining OBS graduate Midnight Stroll out of Midnight Magic, by champion OBS graduate Midnight Lute.  

    Hip 526, a son of Gun Runner consigned by Niall Brennan Stables, Agent, was sold to Spendthrift Farm LLC & Frank Fletcher Racing for $725,000. The dark bay or brown colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat, is a half brother to graded stakes winner Sister OToole out of O’Toole, by Distorted Humor.

    Hip No. 539, a son of Justify consigned by Pick View LLC, Agent, went to Donato Lanni, Agent for Zedan Racing for $700,000. The bay colt, whose quarter in :20 2/5 was the day’s co-fastest, is out of graded stakes placed stakes winner Pauseforthecause, by Giant’s Causeway, a daughter of graded stakes placed stakes winner Sprightly.

    Hip No. 421, a son of graded stakes winning OBS graduate Shancelot, consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, was purchased by Bill Childs for $650,000. The dark bay or brown colt, whose eighth in :9 4/5 was the session’s co-fastest, is out of Magnolias in Bloom, by Flatter, a half sister to stakes winner Quinoa Tifah.

     Mitsu Nakauchida went to $600,000 for Hip No. 378, a son of Tapit consigned by S G V Thoroughbreds LLC (Steven Venosa), Agent. The chestnut colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat, is out of L’ Age d’Or, by Medaglia d’Oro, a daughter of grade one stakes winner Mona de Momma, dam of grade one stakes winner Vekoma.

    Jet Horse LLC, Peter Miller, Agent, went to $600,000 for Hip No. 499, a daughter of Twirling Candy consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent. The bay filly, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat, is a half sister to Thanks Mr. Eidson out of Nest Egg, by Eskendereya.

    Hip No. 482, a daughter of Twirling Candy also consigned by Wavertree, was purchased for $575,000 by Saints or Sinners LLC. The bay filly, who breezed an eighth in :9 4/5, is out of My Day, by Uncle Mo, from the family of graded stakes winner Declaration of War.

    Hip No. 348, a son of Twirling Candy consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, was sold for $550,000 to Case Clay Thoroughbred Management. The bay colt, who worked an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat, is out of Jotown, by Speightstown, a daughter of graded stakes winner Jojo Warrior.

    Hip No. 370, a daughter of American Pharoah who breezed an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat, was sold to Resolute Bloodstock for $525,000. The bay filly is a half sister to graded stakes winner Bellavais out of graded stakes winner La Cloche, by Ghostzapper.

    Hip No. 554, a son of Laoban, who worked an eighth in :9 4/5, was purchased by  Arthur Hoyeau, Agent, for $525,000 . The bay colt, consigned by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent , is out of Princess Aspen, by Birdstone, a half sister to grade ones stakes winner Zazu.

    Boardshorts Stables, LLC, paid $510,000 for Hip No. 386, a daughter of Candy Ride (ARG) who worked an eighth in :10 1/5. Consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, the dark bay or brown filly is a half sister to graded stakes winner Three Witches, recent winner of the Santa Monica Stakes (G2), out of Layreebelle, by Tale of the Cat.

    Hip No. 453, Racing Withthemoon, a daughter of Munnings consigned by Tom McCrocklin, Agent for Peter J. Mirabelli, was sold to Resolute Bloodstock for $500,000. The dark bay or brown filly, whose quarter in :20 2/5 was the session’s co-fastest at the distance, is out of Miss Majestic, by Majestic Warrior, a daughter of graded stakes winner Cassidy.

    Hip No. 325, a son of Improbable consigned by Majestic, Agent, went to James Divito, Agent for $475,000. The bay colt, who breezed an Under Tack eighth in a co-fastest :9 4/5, is out of stakes placed Inaugurate, by Empire Maker, from the family of graded stakes winner Top Rung.

    Hip No. 290, a daughter of City of Light consigned by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent, was sold to Patricia’s Hope LLC for $435,000. The bay filly, whose Under Tack eighth in :9 4/5 was the session’s co-fastest, is out of Hassler (IRE), by War Front, a daughter of grade one stakes winning millionaire OBS graduate Turbulent Descent.

    HALLANDALE BEACH - The overnight purses during Gulfstream Park’s upcoming Spring/Summer Meet will receive significant increases from top to bottom over a season ago. Come April, upon the conclusion of the 2023-2024 Championship Meet, purses will be boosted in all categories from open handicaps to $6,250 claiming races with conditions.

    Gulfstream will race four days a week in April, May and June and three days from July through November. There will be turf racing throughout the spring and summer.

    The new and historic workers compensation plan will offer significant savings. The workers compensation program provides all state coverage with the exception of New York, California, Ohio, North Dakota, Washington and Wyoming.

    “We expect the increase in purses, the new workers compensation program, and year-round turf racing will continue to strengthen Gulfstream’s overall program,” said Bill Badgett, Executive Director of Florida Racing Operations for Gulfstream Park.  

“With the increased purses, grass racing and our workers compensation program, Gulfstream is now the summer place to be,” said FTHA President Joe Orseno. “We are able to offer better purses and we hope this will encourage trainers and owners to keep horses at Gulfstream Park through the non-championship meet. A big thank you to 1/ST management and the FTHA purse committee for negotiating this competitive purse structure.”

     Open handicaps, which were contested for $60,000 last season, will offer purses worth $74,000. The purse for a $6,250 claiming race with conditions will be increased from $17,000 to $20,000.

    Open allowance races will offer purses $10,000 higher than 2023 levels, ranging from $61,000 to $63,000. Entry-level allowance races for Florida-breds will see a $5,000 increase from $43,000 to $48,000.

    Starter allowance purses will be increased from3,000 to $9,000, ranging from $25,000 to $49,000. Maiden special weight races will also be increased by $10,000 to $60,000. Maiden special weight races for Florida-breds will see increases from $40,000 to $48,000. A maiden race for $12,500 claiming horses will get a boost of $6,000 to $25,000. The purse for a $50,000 claiming race for 3-year-olds will be increased by $9,000 to $44,000. 

  HALLANDALE BEACH - A mandatory payout of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 pool yielded multiple payoffs of $35,544 Sunday at Gulfstream Park.

    The multi-race wager had gone unsolved for 17 days following a Feb. 8 jackpot hit, leaving a pool carryover of $834,368 heading into Sunday’s wagering. A total of $5,110,271 was bet on the sequence that spanned Races 6-11. The winning combination was4-6-8-6-12-12.

    On mandatory-payout days, the entire Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is paid out to the bettor or bettors with the most winners in the wager’s six-race sequence. The carryover jackpot is usually only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day’s pool usually goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winner, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

    The Rainbow 6 will start anew Wednesday.

    Who’s Hot: Paco Lopez notched a three-win day, doubling aboard Macuto ($18.80) in Race 2 and St. Pat’s Day ($21.20) in Race 8 before scoring aboard American Diamond ($22) in Race 10.  Jose Ortiz made two trips to the winner’s circle aboard Movin’ On Top ($4.60) in Race 5 and Sedona ($5.40) in Race 7.

Leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. won three races, connecting with Speed Control ($5.60) in Race 1, Movin’ On Up ($4.60) in Race 5, and American Diamond ($22) in Race 10.

    HALLANDALE BEACH - Dornoch, a full brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage, made a significant step along the Road to the Triple Crown Saturday at Gulfstream Park, scoring a commanding victory in the $400,000, Gr. II Coolmore Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park as the 1-5 favorite.

    The 78th running of the Fountain of Youth, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds that serves as a key prep for the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby on March 30, headlined a spectacular 14-race program that featured nine stakes, eight graded.

    Dornoch has earned 60 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby after collecting 50 in the Fountain of Youth.

    “We could run in the Florida Derby or the Blue Grass (at Keeneland April 6),” trainer Danny Gargan said. “We’re lucky enough now where we can pick our spot. Sixty points usually gets you in, so now we’re on cruise control. We’ll figure out where we want to go next and try to enjoy this for a minute.”

    The Fountain of Youth field was reduced to five when Speak Easy was scratched after unseating jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and running off directly following the post parade. The field had already lost Merit, who finished second behind Conquest Warrior in a Friday optional claiming allowance, as well as Locked, the 8-5 morning-line favorite, and Victory Avenue, who finished second behind Speak Easy in his debut, both of whom were withdrawn Saturday morning.

    Owned by West Paces Racing, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Two Eight Racing and Pine Racing Stables, Dornoch took advantage of the scratch of Speak Easy, who showed brilliant speed in a highly promising debut victory on Jan. 27. The son of Good Magic rounded the first turn outside 25-1shot Le Dom Bro, before taking the lead for good at the top of the backstretch under Luis Saez. Real Macho was kept in relatively close pursuit by Tyler Gaffalione as Dornoch set fractions of :24.39 and :48.14 for the first half-mile.

    As Real Macho dropped back, Le Dom Bro tried to make a race of it again leaving the turn into the stretch under Edwin Gonzalez, but Dornoch remained strong in the stretch run to win by 1 ¾ lengths.

    “We didn’t want to be on the lead but when [Speak Easy] scratched, he gets out there and he kind of plays around. You can see him with his ears kind of goofing off. I told Luis, ‘Just go ahead and go,” Gargan said. “We had no choice. We really wanted to stalk today, it just didn’t work out that way. He won fine enough. Surely it won’t be his fastest race. We didn’t expect to win today. It just kind of played out that way. I don’t think he ran very hard. He was just kind of playing around out there.”

    Dornoch, who ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.64, was making his 2024 debut after capturing the Dec. 2, Gr. II Remsen at Aqueduct, fighting back to score a nose decision over Sierra Leone, who won the Gr. II Risen Star at Fair Grounds in his 3-year-old debut.

    “I was very confident. I had a lot of horse,” Saez said. “I knew he was going to give me another gear. He always does. He’s just a good horse. I’m very happy.”

    Co-owner R. A. Hill went into the Fountain of Youth with confidence in Dornoch.

     “I wasn’t that worried to be honest. We got lucky with the scratches, but I was pretty confident all along. I think this horse is the real deal,” Hill said. “He won today, Luis stood up about halfway down the stretch. We get the two scratches, which of course was lucky, but you got to run against who’s in the game. We’ll probably run in the Florida Derby or the Blue Grass. It’s up to Danny.”

Le Dom Bro, a son of Mucho Macho Man who had finished second in the seven-furlong Swale on Feb. 3 after he finished ninth behind Dornoch in the Remsen, held second, a neck in front of Frankie’s Empire, the Swale winner who chased the top two throughout the race.

    “I’m really happy. The horse ran good,” Le Dom Bro’s trainer Eniel Cordero said. “I talked to Edwin, and I said to get some position and then go. He’s a good horse. The more distance the better for him. I’ll talk to the owner and see what’s next. We have a good horse.”

    (Joe and Helen Barbazon and their Pleasant Acres Stallions were well-represented in various ways at the big day of racing at Tampa Bay Downs yesterday. Leinster, who stands at the farm, had both featured stakes races named after him; Jordi's Dream, third in the $100,000 Leinster Lightning City Stakes is by Pleasant Acres' red-hot stallion, Neolithic; and Extendo, second by a neck in the $100,000 Leinster Turf Dash stakes is by former Pleasant Acres stallion Handsome Mike and was bred by the Barbazons in partnership with Ed Seltzer and Beverly Anderson).

    OLDSMAR - Few sounds you’ll hear are as joyous, and filled with love and gratitude, or as loud as the high-pitched yells coming from trainer Douglas Nunn after his 8-year-old gelding Smithwick’s Spice hung on under jockey Daniel Centeno to win the 21st running of the $100,000 Leinster Turf Dash Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs by a neck from Extendo.

    Nunn trained the winner’s dam, Spicy McHaggis, and his siblings. He has always believed in Smithwick’s Spice, but had doubts about entering him against the quality of competition in the Leinster Turf Dash.

    “I liked him cutting back in distance today (following a good second going 1 1/16-mile earlier this month at Gulfstream Park), but these were not just New Jersey-bred horses,” Nunn said once his state of near-hysteria subsided. “I was all ready to scratch him, but the owner (New Spice Stable’s Robert Matthies) said let’s take a shot.

    “He had never run against the big boys, and I didn’t want to take his heart away. But he showed he can run with the big boys,” added Nunn, who broke Smithwick’s Spice as a yearling.

    In the co-feature on the Turf Sprint Showcase Day card, Play the Music overcame early trouble to win the $100,000 Leinster Lightning City Stakes for older fillies and mares under jockey Antonio Gallardo. 

    Smithwick’s Spice’s time for the 5 furlongs on the grass was :55.98 seconds. Yes I Am Free, the wagering favorite, flattened out in the stretch and finished third, a half-length behind Extendo and ¾-lengths ahead of Thealligatorhunter. Storm the Court, the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner, was a late scratch.

    Smithwick’s Spice paid $14.20 to win. He improved to 10-for-40 lifetime and the winner’s share of $45,000 raised his career earnings to $508,847. His only other stakes victory came in the 2022 Joey P. Handicap at Monmouth Park.

    Once Smithwick’s Spice showed Centeno he wanted the lead, the jockey rolled with the veteran campaigner and was richly rewarded. “He fought the entire way. I’ve ridden him before and he’s always run good for me,” Centeno said. “When I turned for home I saw (Antonio) Gallardo (on Yes I Am Free) outside me and I thought, he’s not going to go by me. My horse likes to fight, and he ran big today.” The victory was the first for Nunn at the meet from 15 starts. 

    “The reason I’m still here doing this is this horse,” Nunn said after rejoicing with his wife, Maria Claire Van Sant. “When this horse retires, I’ll retire. He doesn’t want to retire yet, so I guess I’m going to keep on going.

    “When you hang a bridle on some horses, it’s hard because they don’t always give you what they have. This horse has given everything he has from Day 1,” Nunn added, tears flowing freely.

    In the 21st running of the Leinster Lightning City Stakes, supplemental entry Play the Music launched an impressive stretch rally under Gallardo and rolled to a 2 ½-length victory from the other supplemental entry in the race, Howboutdemapples. Pace-setter Jordi’s Dream, a 50-1 shot, held on well for third. Covenant Lady closed well to be fourth.

    A scary moment occurred earlier in the stretch run when betting favorite Just a Care bumped with Howboutdemapples while trying to angle between rivals, causing Just a Care’s jockey Samy Camacho to lose his balance and fall from his mount. Camacho, the track’s leading jockey, walked back to the jockeys’ room after laying on the turf for about 2-3 minutes and was able to return to ride Sky’s Not Falling in the Leinster Turf Dash.

    Earlier in the race at about the 3/8-mile pole, Just a Care and Camacho came over on Play the Music while seeking position on the turn, forcing Gallardo to check sharply. But he was able to swing Play the Music outside, and from there the 4-year-old Kentucky-bred made quick work of her rivals en route to her fourth victory and first stakes triumph from 10 starts.

    Play the Music is owned by Glassman Racing and trained by Mark Casse. Her time for the 5-furlong distance was :55.98 seconds, .89 seconds off Jean Elizabeth’s 2020 stakes record.

    The 4-year-old Just a Care finished with good energy while riderless and was reported to be in good shape after returning to the backside. But her difficulties didn’t detract from the quality of Play the Music’s victory.

“(Casse’s assistant, Jimmy Miranda) told me this filly was ready, and that’s what she showed,” Gallardo said. “Thank God I could put her in gear again after getting checked. She gave me everything and I was able to get her in the clear and into the race.”

    Play the Music had won her previous race, a 7 ½-furlong turf event on Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park, but this may have been her best career performance. “Antonio had her tucked inside early, which was perfect,” Miranda said. “Then he was able to swing her outside and get her in the clear to make her run. If you read Chapter 7, that’s what it says to do.”