Gulfstream News & Notes: Orseno Going for the ‘Green’ in Saturday’s G2 Royal Delta

By David Joseph —-

Orseno Going for the ‘Green’ in Saturday’s G2 Royal Delta
Fawkes Doubles Up for White Pearl Supporting Stakes
Delta Prince Set for 2017 Debut following December Turf Romp

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – D J Stable LLC’s Mo’ Green will seek graded-stakes status in Saturday’s $200,000 Royal Delta (G2) at Gulfstream Park, her connections hopeful that the daughter of Uncle Mo will have the opportunity to prove herself this time.

In her most recent graded-stakes appearance, Mo’ Green lost all chances of success in the Monmouth Park Oaks (G3) last August when she was buried in heavy traffic and had to be taken up sharply by her jockey after stalking the pace into the far turn.

“She got in trouble at Monmouth. She almost got put over the rail. She jammed herself up pretty good in that race,” said trainer Joe Orseno of the incident that sent Mo’ Green to the sidelines for four months.

Mo’ Green returned to action in the seven-furlong Margate Stakes at Gulfstream Park Dec. 26 with a second-place finish that preceded a gutsy triumph in a one-mile optional claiming allowance Jan. 19.

“I ran her in December at a distance she really didn’t like, seven furlongs. It was her last chance to run against straight 3-year-olds in a stake. She ran well and came out of that great,” Orseno said. “She wants to go further, so we put her in the 2-other-than (optional claiming allowance) at a mile, which was the obvious next step. She handled that great. She came back on the rail and fought back. It was a really good race for her.”

Mo’ Green, who broke her maiden at Gulfstream during the 2015-2016 Championship Meet, was an impressive 5 ¾-length winner in a two-turn allowance at Monmouth Park prior to her unfortunate trip in the Oaks. Orseno is confident the Kentucky-bred filly will benefit from the return to two-turn racing in the Royal Delta, a 1 1/16-mile event for older fillies and mares that is carded as the fourth race on Saturday’s 12-race program.

“I think she’s still kind of getting herself ready. I think this kind of came up as a good spot. It’s a short field. She wants to go the two turns. It’s exactly what we’ve been looking for,” Orseno said. “It’s a Grade 2, so obviously she’ll need to have her running shoes on.”

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez is scheduled to ride Mo’ Green for the first time in the Royal Delta, which will also be contested by Curlin’s Approval and Eskenformoney, graded-stakes winners in their most recent starts who are rated at 7-5 and 8-5, respectively, in the morning line.

Fawkes Doubles Up for Saturday’s White Pearl Stakes

Trainer David Fawkes unveiled a 3-year-old filly with star potential Thursday afternoon when he saddled Florida Fabulous, a $400,000 OBS April Sale purchase by e Five Racing Thoroughbreds, for a10 ¾-length debut triumph under a motionless Paco Lopez.

The veteran trainer will saddle two more-seasoned performers for Saturday’s $60,000 White Pearl, a seven-furlong stakes for older fillies and mares carded as the 11th race. Moment of Delight, a multiple stakes winner with earnings over $430,000, and Julerette, an allowance winner last time out, are set to face seven others in the White Pearl.

“It’s like splitting hairs for me. They’re both training really, really good. They’ve been work partners and doing everything right,” Fawkes said.

Moment of Delight and Julerette will be making their second starts since being transferred to Fawkes’ Stable.

Moment of Delight, who is owned by Pinnacle Racing and Norman Stables, most recently finished third in the Sunshine Millions Distaff at Gulfstream.

“In her last race she finished third and I wasn’t super surprised. She ran a super race, but I thought after the break she might need a race back. She got it,” Fawkes said. “She came back great and she’s training super.”

Katherine Ball’s Julerette made a late surge after finding a path in deep stretch to win a seven-furlong entry-level allowance Jan. 12.

“She’s really improved, so I’m expecting a lot from her,” Fawkes said. “If I had to say if there’s a horse in my stable that’s improve a lot, it’s her.”

Luis Saez is named to ride Moment of Delight and Joe Bravo has the return mount board Julerette in the White Pearl.

Delta Prince Set for 2017 Debut following December Turf Romp

Delta Prince, a half-brother to the brilliantly accomplished Royal Delta who died recently as a result of foaling complications, ran two decent races on the dirt to launch his career last year as 3-year-old in New York. But when the Stronach Stables’ homebred tried the turf in his third lifetime start, the results were spectacular. The Jimmy Jerkens-trained colt drew off with authority in the stretch of the mile turf race for maidens at Gulfstream Park Dec. 26 to post a three-length victory, stopping the clock in 1:35.

His eagerly anticipated second start on the turf will take place Saturday afternoon at Gulfstream Park. Delta Prince is among 12 4-year-olds and older horses entered in the mile turf race carrying first-level allowance conditions. It will be run as the final race on a 12-race program. Coincidentally, a stakes named for his half-sister, Royal Delta, will be run earlier on the same card.

Delta Prince’s head-turning maiden win didn’t catch Jerkens too much by surprise because the horse had worked smartly on the turf in advance of the race.

“We had given him a break after his last dirt race in New York in November and he came down here and had a good work on the turf and just ran terrific that day,” Jerkens said. “His dam [Delta Princess] was all turf. Royal Delta didn’t have to run on the grass, but my horse didn’t look like he was going to be a Royal Delta. So I figured, ‘What did we have to lose by running him on the turf?’ And him being by Street Cry didn’t hurt.”

Delta Prince, who will be ridden for the first time by John Velazquez, is the tepid 7-2 morning-line favorite among a field that includes two horses, Puissant and Tricked Up, from the barn of Chad Brown, whose prowess with turf runners needs no introduction.

“It really looks like this race on Saturday is tough,” Jerkens said. “I know he figures to win it the way he ran last time, but this race is a little different scenario than last time. It used to be that when you had older horses who were eligible for this condition this late in their careers they usually weren’t much horse, but it’s not like that anymore. You get a lot of horses who go wrong early and people give them the time. We don’t get in the hurry we used to and are more patient now.”

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.