Gulfstream Today 1.3.19: Heart to Heart, Divisidero Top Tropical Turf (G3) Noms
By David Joseph —-
Heart to Heart, Divisidero Top Tropical Turf (G3) Noms
Friday’s All-Star Stronach 5 Features Single in Final Leg
Third Day First to the Wire in Gulfstream Feature
Leading Rider Luis Saez Rides Four Winners
Rainbow 6 Carryover Jackpot Rises to $79,340
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Multiple Grade 1 stakes-winners Heart to Heart and Divisidero top a list of 17 nominations for the $100,000 Tropical Turf (G3) at Gulfstream Jan. 12.
The Tropical Turf, a mile turf stakes for 4-year-olds and up, will be accompanied by the $150,000 Marshua’s River (G3), a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for older fillies and mares, on the Jan. 12 program.
Terry Hamilton’s Heart to Heart, who captured last year’s Gulfstream Park Turf (G1), has won five stakes in seven starts over the Gulfstream turf course in recent years. The 8-year-old son of English Channel followed his win in the Gulfstream Turf with a triumph in the Maker’s 46 Mile (G1) at Keeneland.
Trained by Brian Lynch, Heart to Heart has 15 of 38 career starts and has won graded stakes at Saratoga, Churchill Downs, Belmont Park and Monmouth Park, as well multiple graded-stakes at Gulfstream and Keeneland.
“We’re looking forward to next weekend,” Lynch said. “He looks fantastic and he’s training great into it and I’m exciting about running him next Saturday.”
Divisidero, who captured his career debut at Gulfstream Park Feb. 7, 2015, won back-to-back editions of the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs in 2016 and 2017. Gunpowder Farm and Brereton Jones’ 7-year-old son of Kitten’s Joy, who is trained by Kelly Rubley, was beaten by less than a length while finishing fourth in the Nov 3 Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Churchill Downs.
Graded-stakes winners Doctor Mounty, Hogy, Inspector Linley and Shakhimat are also nominated to the Tropical Turf.
The Marshua’s River drew 21 nominations, including Team Valor International’s Capla Temptress, who captured the My Charmer (G3) at Gulfstream Park last time out. The Bill Mott-trained 4-year-old Irish-bred filly won the 2017 Natalma (G1) at Woodbine.
Lynch confirmed Thursday that La Signare, who won the Wonder Again (G3) at Belmont last year, is being pointed to the Marshua’s River.
Lael Stables’ Hawksmoor, a multiple graded-stakes winner in both Europe and the U.S., is also among the prominent names on the nominations list.
Friday’s All-Star Stronach 5 Features Single in Final Leg
Friday’s Stronach 5, with an industry-low 12-percent takeout and $50,000 guaranteed pool, will begin at 4:35 p.m. with the ninth race from Laurel Park. The national pick 5 also includes races from Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park and Golden Gate Fields.
This week’s All-Star ticket features a single in the last leg of the sequence at Golden Gate in Shadrack and two horses in the third leg (Santa Anita’s fourth race on the turf) in Foxtail and Untouched Elegance.
Stronach 5 All-Star Ticket:https://wwwyoutube.com/watch?v=N-gHPMdlS5w&feature=youtu.be
Third Day First to the Wire in Gulfstream Feature
Town and Country Racing’s Third Day ($12.60) appreciated the extra turn of Thursday’s featured ninth race, a 1 1/16-mile second-level optional claiming allowance, closing in the stretch to prevail by a 1 ½ lengths under Irad Ortiz Jr.
Trained by Brian Lynch, the 5-year-old son of Bernardini ran the distance in 1:43.89 in his third start off a long layoff and first trip around two turns.
“He had an ankle chip and gave him some time. I was pleased with his first race at Churchill and was a little disappointed in his last race here. I thought he might be looking to run a little further and lay a little closer,” said Lynch, whose trainee finished third in a six-furlong allowance at Churchill before closing from 10th to fourth in a one-turn mile race at Gulfstream Dec. 7. “It doesn’t often come together, but it’s perfect when the plan comes together like it did today.
Local Hero and Tyler Gaffalione finished second, a half-length ahead of pacesetter Brasstown.
Third Day, who won the first two starts of his career, including a victory in the mile Just One More Stakes while trained by Todd Pletcher, could well be headed for a stakes race next time out.
“He stamped his ticket to move forward now. We can get a little creative now,” said Lynch, whose trainee saved ground while sitting third along the backstretch and far turn before kicking in strongly under Ortiz through the stretch. “Hopefully, he comes back good. Everything looks good at this stage.”
Rainbow 6 Carryover Jackpot Stands at $79,340
The 20-cent Rainbow 6 went unsolved for the third racing day in a row Thursday at Gulfstream Park, producing a $79,340.35 carryover jackpot for Friday’s program.
Multiple tickets will all six winners Thursday were each worth $17,120.14.
The popular multi-race wager was solved on Sunday for a $177,317 jackpot payoff.
The carryover jackpot is 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 goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.
There will also be a Super Hi-5 carryover of $ heading into Friday’s program.
Who’s Hot: Leading rider and two-time defending Championship meet titlist Luis Saez won a four-bagger, scoring aboard Botero ($15) in Race 3, Pass the Butter ($5.80) in Race 5, Geyser ($20.20) in Race 8 and Ding Dong Ditch ($8).
Irad Ortiz Jr. and trainer Marcus Vitale teamed for a pair of victories, scoring with Be Gone Daddy ($5.40) in Race 2 and Ice Show ($19.20) in Race 6. Ortiz collected his third winner of the day aboard Third Day in the Race 9 feature.
Rainbow 6 Carryover Jackpot: $79,340
Super Hi-5 Carryover: $13,743
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. For more information contact David Joseph at david.joseph@gulfstreampark.com or call 954.457.6451.