Gulfstream News & Notes: Multiple Stakes Winner Wildwood’s Beauty Seeks Distaff Success

By David Joseph —-

Gulfstream News & Notes

Multiple Stakes Winner Wildwood’s Beauty Seeks Distaff Success
Well-Traveled G1 Winner Math Wizard Getting Short Vacation

MIAMI GARDENS, FL – William Stiritz’s Wildwood’s Beauty, a first-out winner at Gulfstream Park West last fall before going on to win three stakes this year, returns to the site of her debut triumph for the first time in Saturday’s $75,000 Millions Distaff.

The seven-furlong Millions Distaff for fillies and mares 3 and older is the second of nine stakes worth $675,000 in purses on an 11-race Sunshine Millions Preview program that begins at noon.

Trained by Scott Becker, Wildwood’s Beauty is second choice on the morning line at 2-1 behind multiple Grade 2 winner and even-money program favorite Stormy Embrace. The daughter of Kantharos is one of two sophomores in the field, along with Suzie’ssteppinout.

Wildwood’s Beauty defeated Stormy Embrace in the seven-furlong Sheer Drama Stakes Sept. 7 at Gulfstream Park, posting a 3 ¾-length upset at odds of 20-1. Stormy Embrace was fourth while another fellow Distaff entrant, Heiressall was second.

“That was a nice field of horses, and they’re going to be tough in there again,” Becker said. “The one filly, Stormy Embrace, she got a bad trip so that might have helped us, too.”

Becker unveiled Wildwood’s Beauty in a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight last Nov. 10 at Gulfstream West, where she romped by four lengths in her lone juvenile start. Second in three straight to open 2019, she rattled off stakes victories in the Sophomore Fillies and FSS Invanavinalot during the spring at Tampa Bay Downs.

Wildwood’s Beauty didn’t race again until facing older horses in a 7 ½-furlong turf sprint Aug. 19 at Gulfstream, finishing sixth, the only time she hasn’t been first or second in nine lifetime tries. Back on dirt, she beat her elders in the Sheer Drama.

“She’s been going well. I gave her a break for a little while after she ran up at Tampa in May. She got like 45 days and I was pointing her to the Sheer Drama for her comeback,” Becker said. “I was able to get a race on the turf as a little prep for that, and everything worked out.”

Most recently, Wildwood’s Beauty was a distant but decisive second behind Todd Pletcher-trained Extrodinary Jerry in the one-mile FSS Wildcat Heir Sept. 28 at Gulfstream.

“I didn’t know that the horse of Todd’s was going to show up. Other than that I thought we’d have a chance until I saw the PPs come out, but I thought we could be second or third if everything worked out, and that’s how the cards fell,” Becker said. “She’s done very well since then. We’ve got no excuses based on her training.”

Wildwood’s Beauty will break from the rail under Samy Camacho, aboard for the last two races.

“I don’t think the post will bother her much because she’s pretty versatile. She has some good tactical speed or she can lay off, so the break will dictate it and whatever Samy needs to do, he can do,” Becker said. “When she broke her maiden over there she seemed like nothing bothered her, so she should be fine. She shipped good over there for that and she shipped good up to Tampa so I don’t see any problems with any of that.”

Well-Traveled G1 Winner Math Wizard Getting Short Vacation

Math Wizard, 31-1 upset winner of the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) for Gulfstream Park-based trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., will get some much deserved time off while the connections look for his next race.

A 3-year-old son of Algorithms, undefeated in three career starts capped by the 2012 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream, Math Wizard returned to South Florida this week following a cross-country trip where he ran fifth in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 2 at Santa Anita.

“He came out of the race OK,” Joseph said. “I’ll probably give him a little freshening. He’s had a hard campaign, so he’s due for a little break.”

Math Wizard was claimed for $25,000 out of an 18 ½-length triumph Jan. 31 at Gulfstream. Joseph and Wynwood Thoroughbreds, among the original owners following the claim, sold their shares to Cash Is King, LC Racing and Khalid Mishref prior to the Classic. John Fanelli, Vitelli Collarmele Stables, Ioannis Zoumas and Bassett Stables remain part of the ownership group.

Since the claim, Math Wizard has run eight times including stakes in New York, Arkansas, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and California. He finished second in the Ohio Derby (G3), third in the Indiana Derby (G3), and fourth in both the Wood Memorial (G2) and Oaklawn Invitational.

“Most definitely couldn’t have imagined this. He’s taken us a lot of places, and the icing on the cake was winning the Pennsylvania Derby,” Joseph said. “He’s traveled all over and taken us to so many different tracks, and each time he’s shown up and tried his heart out You can’t ask for more.”

Math Wizard rallied from last in the field of 11 to edge fellow Grade 1 winner Seeking the Soul by a neck for fifth in the Classic. The other sophomores in the group – Fountain of Youth (G2), Travers (G1) and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) winner Code of Honor, Preakness (G1) winner War of Will, and Ohio Derby and Oklahoma Derby (G3) winner Owendale, finished seventh, ninth and 10th, respectively.

“He ran decent. We were happy with him,” Joseph said. “He beat all the 3-year-olds. It was hard to close ground on that track and he was able to make up some ground, so we were very proud of him.”

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.