Gulfstream News & Notes: Tormenta de Oro Seeks Another Upset in G3 Rampart

By David Joseph —-

Tormenta de Oro Seeks Another Upset in G3 Rampart
Awesome Banner eyes the Malibu (G1) at Santa Anita
Winter Soiree Saturday in Ten Palms

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – On an afternoon when favorites won five of the nine Claiming Crown races, Tormenta de Oro posted the biggest surprise of the day when she shocked the $110,000 Glass Slipper at odds of nearly 45-1.

It was the second win in five starts since being claimed for $6,250 by owner-trainer Patrick Marcondes over the summer at Gulfstream, and the Brazil native’s biggest victory since taking out his trainer’s license in 2014.

“It was huge. It was my best win yet. I am extremely happy. Everybody said, ‘Did you know she was going to win?’ Of course not. Nobody can say that, but she had a good chance,” Marcondes said. “I didn’t understand why she was a long shot, because she had beaten most of the horses in the prior race. She had breezed in 45 [seconds], so I figured she was ready to go and I was expecting to see something better.

“I don’t gamble, so I don’t care if the odds are high. I actually like to see them low,” he added. “She didn’t get the respect she deserved from the crowd, but at the end she won it. I was pleased with that. That’s what matters.”

Marcondes has Tormenta de Oro entered for a chance to post an even bigger upset in Saturday’s $100,000 Rampart (G3). The 4-year-old Benny the Bull filly drew the rail in a seven-horse field for the one-turn mile event at 121 pounds, just two fewer than multiple graded stakes-winning highweight Genre.

“I know it is going to be tough. She’s not going to be facing the same kind as she ran against last time,” he said, “but she hasn’t tapped her potential yet. She’s in a good place right now.”

Luca Panici, aboard for her neck victory in the Glass Slipper, gets the return call on Tormenta de Oro, who had won five of her first 29 career starts before joining Marcondes. Four of those wins have come this year.

“When you get a horse like that, for the price that I paid, as talented as she is and as classy as she is, I got lucky. I did my homework, but I wasn’t expecting to get such a nice horse,” Marcondes said. “When she won the first time for me I said, ‘Wow.’ She shouldn’t have won it. It was too short and it was a tough race. I thought, ‘We have something here.’

“She started breezing better. When we breezed for the Claiming Crown and she went in 45 and galloped out in 58 and 1:12, that was really nice,” he added. “A stakes horse breezes like that, a graded horse. I thought we had something nice so let’s go for it. I’m glad everything worked out.”

Awesome Banner eyes the Malibu (G1) at Santa Anita

Awesome Banner, the winner of this year’s Hutcheson (G3) and Swale (G2) at Gulfstream Park, is likely headed to Santa Anita to run in the seven-furlong, $300,000 Malibu (G1) on opening day, Dec. 26.

“Right now we plan to take him out to the Malibu,” said Norm Casse, who trains Awesome Banner with his father, Mark. “He worked yesterday and worked really well. The Malibu is the opportunity for him to run against straight 3-year-olds one more time.”

A homebred for Jacks or Better Farm, Awesome Banner covered five furlongs from the gate at Palm Meadows in a bullet 1:00.20, breezing.

Winter Soiree Saturday in Ten Palms

The Winter Soiree, featuring holidays specialty drinks and food, will take place Saturday in Ten Palms Restaurant.
The Soiree will include wines, bourbon, coquito, eggnog and Ponche Navideno as well as holiday cookies, Turkey Sliders, Santa Strawberries, Roasted Suckling Pig and Turron. Tickets are $30 and include a program and $2 betting voucher. Proceeds will benefit Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. For more information call 954.457.6201 or go to: http://www.gulfstreampark.com/events-and-entertainment

Gulfstream Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; XpressBet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is also a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.