Gulfstream Park Spring/Summer Meet Alumni on the Go

By David Joseph —-

Gulfstream Park Spring/Summer Meet Alumni on the Go
Joseph, Vaccarezza, Orseno and Biancone Head to Keeneland This Weekend

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Gulfstream Park’s annual Championship Meet, in addition to offering world class racing each winter, has long been established as a launching pad for graded-stakes success throughout the country throughout the year.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. is certainly looking forward to the 2019-2020 Championship Meet that will get under way Nov. 29, but the up-and-coming 32-year-old Barbados native also has developed a special appreciation for Gulfstream Park’s Spring/Summer Meet that concluded Sunday.

“The program is perfect. When you have good young horses, you can develop them. They don’t have to be fully cranked – at Saratoga everyone is there to win first time out. You have to train them so hard and have them fully cranked,” Joseph said. “Here, you can develop them.”

Joseph reaped the ultimate benefits of the Spring/Summer Meet last Saturday when he saddled Chance It for a dominating 7 ¼-length triumph in the $400,000 In Reality, the final leg of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series for 2-year-olds at Gulfstream Park. Chance It, who finished second in his June 1 debut before breaking his maiden, winning the $100,000 FSS Dr. Fager and finishing second in the $200,000 FSS Affirmed, is being considered by his connections for a start in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 1 at Santa Anita.

Friday, Joseph will venture to Keeneland, where he will saddle impressive debut winner Sound Machine for a start in Race 6, a seven-furlong optional claiming allowance for 2-year-old fillies. The daughter of Into Mischief, who was purchased for $500,000 by e Five Racing Thoroughbreds at the 2018 Keeneland September sale, shook off early pressure in her July 28 debut at Gulfstream Park before drawing clear by 8 ¼ lengths. Gulfstream alumni Tyler Gaffalione is slated to ride Sound Machine for the first time in the eight-filly field.

Trainer Carlo Vaccarezza, who is based year round at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, will also venture to Keeneland to saddle King Theo for a start in Saturday’s $500,000 Breeders’ Futurity (G1). The 2-year-old son of More Than Ready scored an 8 ¼-length victory in a seven-furlong maiden special weight race at Gulfstream Aug. 22.

Trainer Patrick Biancone, a Palm Meadows mainstay and longtime supporter of Gulfstream’s Spring/Summer Meet, will also be branching out to Keeneland this weekend with a pair of veteran stakes performers. Diamond Oops, whom Biancone saddled for a victory in the Smile Sprint (G3) on Gulfstream’s Summit of Speed program June 29, is entered in Friday’s $250,000 Phoenix (G2). The 4-year-old son of Lookin At Lucky enters the six-furlong stakes off a second-place finish behind Imperial Hint in the Vanderbilt (G1) at Saratoga. The Biancone-trained Razorback Lady, who is multiple stakes-placed during the spring and summer at Gulfstream, is entered in the $250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) Saturday.

Imprimis, who has been based at Gulfstream Park with trainer Joe Orseno throughout the summer, is entered in Saturday’s $200,000 Woodford (G2) to be run at 5 ½ furlongs on the Keeneland turf course, over which the 5-year-old son of Broken Vow captured the Shakertown (G2) last spring.

The Joseph-trained Math Wizard trained over the Gulfstream track all summer before venturing to Parx to capture the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) last month. Math Wizard is being considered for a start in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 2 at Santa Anita.

The Spring/Spring Summer Meet may springboard as many as four 2-year-olds into Breeders’ Cup races. In addition to Chance It, Two Sixty, Graceful Kitten and Onyx, all stakes winners at Gulfstream last Saturday, are being considered for the Nov. 1 future stars program. Trainer Mark Casse is considering Two Sixty for a start in the $2 million Juvenile Fillies (G1) after the daughter of Uncaptured soared around two turns for the first time to score by 5 ¼ lengths in the $400,000 FSS My Dear Girl. Juan Alvarado-trained Onyx, who remained undefeated in three turf starts while winning the Our Dear Peggy Stakes; and Amador Sanchez-trained Graceful Kitten, an undefeated son of Kitten’s Joy who captured the Armed Forces by two lengths; are being considered for starts in the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) and the $1 million Juvenile Turf (G1), respectively.

Stormy Embrace, based at Gulfstream Park West, earned a free trip to the Filly & Mare Sprint with a victory at Gulfstream in June in the Princess Rooney (G2).

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.