HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Juveniles will be in the spotlight with four races scheduled on three surfaces when the fall Sunshine Meet resumes with a nine-race program today at Gulfstream Park.

    First race post time is 12:20 p.m.

    The opener is a maiden special weight for 2-year-olds sprinting six furlongs on the main track that drew a field of eight led by 9-5 program favorite Senti La Voce, a first-time starter by Speaker’s Corner that fetched $425,000 at auction in May. Speaker’s Corner, 2-for-36 (5 percent) with juvenile debut runners, won the Fred Hooper (G3) and Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) in 2022 before winning the Carter (G1) that spring.

    Also among the entrants is Holy Warrior, a $100,000 son of five-time Grade 1-winning multimillionaire Jackie’s Warrior that has placed in each of his three starts thus far, including a third behind undefeated Sum of Success in the seven-furlong Express Tour Sept. 5 and second in the one-mile Palm Bay overnight handicap Oct. 3.

    Juvenile fillies will go a mile and 70 yards on the all-weather Tapeta in Race 3, a maiden claiming event where Arindel homebred Dorothy looks to break through after placing three times in six prior tries, among them a second as the favorite in a similar spot Sept. 4. Cathedral Sun returns after a runner-up finish in her Sept. 13 debut, also as the top choice at the course and distance.

    Nine 2-year-old fillies are set to line up in Race 4, an optional claiming allowance scheduled for five furlongs on the grass. The narrow 2-1 program favorite is Party Mix, who debuted with a maiden special weight victory at the course and distance Aug. 15 and was sixth in the 6 ½-furlong Untapable Aug. 30 at Kentucky Downs last out. Goddess of Beauty has been third or better in four of five starts, running second to Party Mix in mid-August before graduating at five furlongs on Tapeta Sept. 4. Vittoria Eva, Cynster, Roadsterella, Jost a Chance Yadi and Army Salute all exit wins.

    The finale is a six-furlong maiden optional claimer on the main track for Florida-bred 2-year-old fillies where five of the nine entrants are first-time starters including Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Khozan Ostra. The AMG Equine homebred is by Khozan, who is 55-for-397 (13 percent) with first-time starters and 38-for-256 (14 percent) with debut juveniles. Classic Genes, a daughter of 2016 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner and 2017 Preakness (G1) runner-up Classic Empire, rallied to be second in her Sept. 25 unveiling going 5 ½ furlongs for trainer Jose D’Angelo.

    Leonel Reyes continues to hold a narrow lead in the Sunshine Meet jockey standings, 28-25, over Samy Camacho, followed closely by Miguel Vasquez (21), Diego Herrera (20) and Edwin Hernandez (19). The trainer standings are equally tight with Saffie Joseph Jr. (18), Jose D’Angelo (17), Victor Barboza Jr. (14) and Carlos David (13) separated by five wins. comments powered by Disqus