Gulfstream Today 12.3.23: Holy Bull (G3) a Possibility for Seminole Chief

By David Joseph —-

Gulfstream Today

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Trainer Jack Sisterson was in no rush to decide what’s next for Brad Grady and David Grund’s Seminole Chief the day after the juvenile son of Girvin pulled off a 12-1 upset in Saturday’s $300,000 In Reality at Gulfstream Park.

“I’d like to talk to the owners and figure it out. He’s still a young horse,” Sisterson said. “He handled the two turns. I would have liked to have seen him switch leads. But he moved forward again,” Sisterson said. “Possibly the Holy Bull.”

The $250,000 Holy Bull (G3), an important prep for the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1), will be contested at the 1 1/16-mile distance of the In Reality at Gulfstream Feb. 3.

“We’ll see how he comes out of the race,” said Sisterson before saddling Perfectly Mperfect for victory in a maiden claiming race in Sunday’s Race 4. “I’m kind of a passenger along the way. I listen to the owners.”

Seminole Chief was making only his third career start Saturday, following an eight-length debut score at Finger Lakes and a troubled sixth in the seven-furlong Affirmed, the second leg of the FSS series.

Sisterson was pleased with how Seminole Chief exited his half-length triumph in the final leg of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series, in which Bentornato finished a length back in third in his bid to sweep the series for juveniles sired by accredited Florida stallions.

“He’s doing great. I kept him out in the round pen for a few hours this morning. He’s happy,” said Sisterson, whose stable is based at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s satellite training center in Palm Beach County.

Sand and Sea Airs for Riley Mott in $100,000 Sabal Palm

Trainer Riley Mott is making his presence felt early in the Championship Ship Meet, saddling San and Sea ($11.60) for a dominating triumph in Sunday’s $100,000 Orange Blossom at Gulfstream Park.

The son of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott is based in South Florida for the first time as he nears the completion of his first full season of training his own stable.

“To win at a place like Gulfstream – I’ve been coming here since I was literally in diapers – I always had aspirations to have a presence here on this circuit,” Mott said. “It’s pretty special for me.”

James Karp’s Sand and Sea, who was ridden by Paco Lopez, went right to the front at the start of the 1 1/16-mile overnight handicap for fillies and mares on Tapeta and was never threatened thereafter. The 5-year-old daughter of Liam’s Map set fractions of 24.71 and 47.96 seconds for the first half mile on her way to a 3 ¼-length victory in 1:40.10.

“The filly loves being out there on the front end by herself. In her past three or four races, she’s kind of been out there without any issue. You know how Paco rides. He loves looping the rein, so I thought he’d fit her perfect,” Mott said. “She gets brave out on the lead and likes the synthetic. She broke her maiden here sprinting a couple of years ago pretty impressively. It was a good result.”

Sister Lou Ann, the 5-2 favorite, finished second after chasing Sand and Sea from start to finish under Jose Ortiz. Coco finished third.

G2-Winning Filly Life Talk Florida-Bound for Pletcher

Life Talk, by Gun Runner, gave Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher his fourth straight victory and ninth overall in the 1 1/8-mile Demoiselle for 2-year-old fillies Saturday at Aqueduct. With Irad Ortiz Jr. up, Life Talk cruised to a popular 3 ¾-length win.

Her effort came less than four weeks after Life Talk ran fourth, beaten 3 ½ lengths at odds of 21-1, in the 1 1/16-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Santa Anita.

“We were very happy with the way she came back,” Pletcher said. “She ran very well.”

Purchased for $335,000 as a yearling last fall in Kentucky, Life Talk debuted running second by a head to subsequent Grade 1-placed Alys Beach in a July 30 maiden special weight at Saratoga, where she came back to graduate by 6 ½ lengths a month later.

Life Talk next ran third in the mile Frizette (G1) Oct. 7 to Just F Y I, who would come back to win the Juvenile Fillies by a neck in a 7-1 upset. Life Talk returned to Belmont Park where she had one half-mile breeze heading into the Demoiselle.

“We’ll probably bring her down to Florida and then come up with a game plan.” Pletcher said. “We’ll give her a little bit of a freshening since she had a pretty solid campaign at 2. She’ll get a little break before we do anything.”

Gulfstream’s series of stakes for 3-year-old fillies include the seven-furlong Forward Gal (G3) Feb. 3, one-mile Davona Dale (G2) March 2 and 1 1/16-mile Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) March 30.

With Florida strings at both Gulfstream and Palm Beach Downs, Pletcher has four wins in both the Oaks (2010-11, 2013-14) and Forward Gal (2012-14, 2021) and three in the Davona Dale (2006, 2011, 2014).

Who’s Hot: Jose Ortiz tripled on Sunday’s program, scoring aboard Falfurrias ($8) in Race 1, Famous Gent ($6) in Race 6 and Mo Touring ($5.80) in Race 7. Paco Lopez doubled aboard Ensign Parker ($14.40) in Race 5 and Sand and Sea ($11.60) in Race 9.

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