Gulfstream News & Notes: Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile First Preference for Diamond Oops

By David Joseph —-

Gulfstream Park News & Notes
Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile First Preference for Diamond Oops
Math Wizard Sharp in Breeze for Breeders’ Cup Classic
FSS Hero Chance It Pointed to Kentucky Jockey Club
Stormy Embraces Breezes for Breeders’ Cup F&M Sprint

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Grade 1 stakes-place on dirt and turf in his two most recent starts, Diamond Oops is being pointed to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Santa Anita Park Nov. 2.

“I talked to my partners and we are going to the Breeders’ Cup for the Mile Dirt. That’s our first choice. If he doesn’t get in for some reason, he’ll go in the Sprint,” trainer Patrick Biancone said.

Diamond Oops, who captured the Smile Sprint (G3) on the June 29 Summit of Speed program at Gulfstream Park, finished second in the July 27 Vanderbilt (G1) at Saratoga, four lengths behind Imperial Hint and 3 ½ lengths ahead of Mitole. The 4-year-old son of Lookin At Lucky moved to the turf Oct. 5 at Keeneland, where he finished second in the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1), in which he set a pressured paced before falling to Bowies Hero by three-quarters of a length.

“I think he’s better on dirt to be honest with you. The plan for the [Shadwell) mile was to give him a good mile before we go to California,” Biancone said. “He’s a nice horse. He’s a very nice horse.

Diamond Oops won three of his first four career starts as a 2-year-old before going to the sidelines with an injury that kept him in his stall at Palm Meadows Training Center for several months.

“He had a pulled flexor in his pastern. It is very rare – the first time I’ve seen that,” Biancone said. “My partners have been very patient and now he’s just showing up. He has to improve, he lost so many months of training at 3. Every race he seems to get better and better. Hopefully, he’ll keep going. He better.”

Diamonds Oops is owned by Patrick L. Biancone Racing LLC in partnership with Diamond 100 Racing Club, Amy Dunne and DP Racing LLC.

Math Wizard Sharp in Breeze for Breeders’ Cup Classic

Math Wizard, who pulled off a 31-1 upset victory in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx in his most recent start, breezed three furlongs in 35.80 seconds Sunday morning at Gulfstream Park in preparation for a scheduled start in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita Nov. 2.

“It went good. It went to plan. He went three eighths and galloped out really good. He did it with his ears pricked,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “Edgard Zayas was on him. He had a lot of energy and is showing all the signs that he’s moving forward, which is good because he’ll need to improve four or five lengths to have a shot.”

Math Wizard, who had finished third behind eventual Florida Derby (G1) winner and controversially disqualified Kentucky Derby (G1) first-place finisher Maximum Security in a $16,000 maiden claiming race at Gulfstream last December, was claimed by owner John Fanelli for $25,000 out of an 18 ½-length victory Jan. 31 and joined Joseph’s stable. The son of Algorithms went on to finish fourth in the Wood Memorial (G2), second in the Ohio Derby (G3) and third in the Indiana Derby (G2).

Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. for the first time in the Pennsylvania Derby, Math Wizard saved ground while sitting off the pace before making a sweeping move on the turn into the stretch and prevailing over Mr. Money by a neck.

“He’ll have two more works here. We’ll do all the work here and ship on Tuesday. It worked well last time,” Joseph said.

The Joseph-trained Chance It, the highly regarded winner of the $400,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes In Reality at Gulfstream last time out, will skip the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita Nov. 1 and is being pointed to the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs Nov. 30.

Chance It, who also won the $100,000 FSS Dr. Fager, is owned by Shooting Star Thoroughbreds LLC, which is managed by longtime trainer Mary Lightner.

“Mary wants to give him more space between his races,” Joseph said.

At Gulfstream Park West Sunday morning, Matalona Thoroughbreds LLC’s Stormy Embrace breezed five furlongs in 1:03.40 for a scheduled start in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita Nov. 2. The Kathleen O’Connell-trained mare won a fees-paid berth in the Filly and Mare Sprint by defending her title in the $250,000 Princes Rooney (G2) on the Summit of Speed card at Gulfstream June. 29.

Bodexpress Ready to Regroup after Eventful Winter and Spring
Florida Derby Runner-Up Seeks to Graduate on Monday’s Program

Bodexpress is scheduled to make a run at a belated graduation on Monday’s Columbus Day program at Gulfstream Park West, but the 3-year-old son of Bodemeister is hardly just another unaccomplished maiden.

Owned by Top Racing LLC, Global Thoroughbreds and trainer Gustavo Delgado’s GDS Racing Stable, Bodexpress will bring a rather imposing resume into the mile-and-70-yard maiden special weight event that is carded as Race 2.

Bodexpress earned a Grade 1 placing at Gulfstream Park March 30 when he finished second in the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) behind Maximum Security, who went on to finish first in the Kentucky Derby (G1), only to be controversially disqualified. He finished 3 ¼ lengths clear of third-place finisher Code of Honor, who went on to finish third in the Kentucky Derby before being elevated to second due to the disqualification. Maximum Security went on to win the Haskell (G1) at Monmouth, while Code of Honor went on to win the Dwyer (G2), Travers (G1) and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1).

His strong performance in the Florida Derby earned Bodexpress a berth in the Kentucky Derby, in which he finished 14th of 19 after being taken up in traffic on the turn into the homestretch. He hasn’t raced since the May 18 Preakness Stakes (G1), in which he reared at the start and unseated his rider.

“After that stressful event, we wanted to give him a break. We sent him to Ocala. One of the owner’s owns a farm up there,” said Gustavo Delgado Jr., the son and assistant trainer of the Venezuelan training legend who ventured to South Florida in 2011.

Bodexpress has had a series of six workouts for his return, including a pair of strong five-furlong breezes in his most recent morning outings.

“He’s been doing really, really well. He’s been improving every week. He’s giving the signals that he’s coming back in the same shape he was in,” Delgado said. “He’s looking like a million bucks right now. Not only that, but he’s seems more mature. He’s quieter, so we’re hoping that’s a good sign.”

Bodexpress’ runner-up finish in the Florida Derby isn’t the only impressive performance on his resume. Prior to the Florida Derby, the Delgado trainee experienced a tough beat in a maiden special weight won by Shancelot, who would go on to win the Amsterdam (G2) by 12 ½ lengths and is likely to be one of the favorites for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita Nov. 2.

“It’s unbelievable the horses he’s faced,” Delgado Jr. said. “We’re hoping he comes back at the same level. I’m not saying he’s 100 percent in shape, but if he’s anywhere close, he should deliver in this race.”

Bodexpress enters Monday’s race as undoubtedly racing’s most high-profile maiden.

“He’s famous now,” Delgado Jr. said. “He’s famous maybe for the reasons we don’t want him to be famous for, but we take that in a very humble way.”

Monday’s Rainbow 6 Carryover Jackpot Grows to $110,111

Columbus Day Card Set for 1 P.M. First-Race Post Time
Late Pick 5 Carryover – $31,615 Super Hi-5 Carryover – $7,327

MIAMI GARDENS, FL – The 20-cent Rainbow 6 went unsolved for the 10th racing day in a row at Gulfstream Park West Sunday, producing a carryover jackpot of $110,111.39 for Monday’s Columbus Day program.

Multiple tickets with five of six winners Sunday were each worth $12,869.70.

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

The Rainbow 6 was solved at Gulfstream Park for a $2.2 million jackpot Sept. 27 after going unsolved for 47 consecutive racing days.

There will also be a Late Pick 5 carryover of $31,618.53, as well as a Super Hi-5 carryover of $7,327.25 for Monday’s card that will get under way at 1 p.m..

Gulfstream Park West 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, and Rosecroft Raceway. 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.