Gulfstream Today 12.8.23: 2YO Stakes Action Spices Up Saturday’s Tropical Turf Pick 3

By David Joseph —-

Gulfstream Today

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Saturday’s 11-race program at Gulfstream Park will be co-headlined by the $100,000 Wait A While and the $100,000 Pulpit – a pair of turf stakes for 2-year-olds that will be featured in the sequences of both the $3 Tropical Turf Pick 3 and the 20-cent Rainbow 6.

The Wait A While will kick off the Tropical Pick 3, an innovative wager with a 15-percent takeout that will encompass turf events in Races 6, 8 and 11, as well as the Rainbow 6 in Races 6 through 11.

Trainer Christophe Clement is represented by two in a field of 10 juvenile fillies assembled for the 7 ½-furlong Wait A While, including 8-5 morning-line favorite Ozara. The Irish-bred daughter of Lope de Vega is coming off a second-place finish in the Chelsea Flower at Aqueduct. She previously graduated at first asking and finished fourth in the Natalma (G1) at Woodbine. Stablemate Beach Cruiser is coming off a maiden score while making her turf debut at Aqueduct in his second career start.

Mike Maker-trained Buttercream Babe is scheduled to make a quick return for the Wait A While after finishing off the board in the Nov. 3 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) at Santa Anita. The daughter of Twirling Candy had finished second in the Surfer Girl (G3) at Santa Anita in her prior start. Jack Sisterson, who saddled Seminole Chief for a triumph in last Saturday’s $300,000 In Reality, will send out Milliat, a debut winner in Ireland who will make her first U.S. start in the Wait A While.

The Pulpit, a 7 ½-furlong turf stakes for 2-year-olds, will anchor the Tropical Turf Pick 3 and Rainbow 6 sequences in Race 11. Noted, a son of Cairo Prince trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, is rated as the 8-5 morning-line favorite. Noted is coming off a bad-trip off-the-board finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) following a narrow loss in the Bourbon (G2) at Keeneland.

Mike Maker-trained Liam’s Journey, who finished third in the Pilgrim (G3) at Aqueduct, Brendan Walsh-trained Palm Tree, who ran into trouble in the Bourbon after breaking his maiden at Kentucky Downs, and Juan Alvarado-trained Prevent, runner up in the Armed Forces last time out; are also prominent in the field of 11.

Race 8, the middle leg of the Tropical Turf Pick 3, may well prove toughest to handicap. The mile maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds drew a well-connected field of 12 as well as four also-eligibles.

Saturday’s 20-cent Rainbow 6 gross jackpot pool at Gulfstream Park will be guaranteed at $75,000 after going unsolved Friday for the third racing day following a mandatory payout that yielded multiple $50,999 payoffs.

Who’s Hot: Paco Lopez rode four winners on Friday’s program. Trainer Kelly Breen and Lopez teamed for a pair of victories Friday, scoring with Megan Makin Money ($6.80) in Race 2 and Speight’spercomete ($4.80) in Race 5. Lopez notched his third win of the day aboard Imaboutago (8.40), an impressive debut winner for trainer Wesley Ward, in Race 6, before taking the Race 10 aboard Scaramanga ($4.40).

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The Stronach Group is a world-class technology, entertainment and real estate development company with Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core. The Stronach Group’s 1/ST business (pronounced “First”) is North America’s preeminent Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering company and includes the 1/ST RACING & GAMING, 1/ST CONTENT, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY and 1/ST EXPERIENCE businesses, while advocating for and driving the 1/ST HORSE CARE mission. 1/ST represents The Stronach Group’s continued movement toward redefining Thoroughbred racing and the ecosystem that drives it. 1/ST RACING & GAMING drives the best-in-class racing operations and gaming offerings at the company’s premier racetracks and training centers including: Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields and San Luis Rey Downs (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series, Gulfstream Park West and Palm Meadows Thoroughbred Training Center (Florida); the Maryland Jockey Club at Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course – home of the legendary Preakness Stakes, Rosecroft Raceway and Bowie Training Center (Maryland). 1/ST CONTENT is the operating group for 1/ST’s media and content companies including: Monarch Content Management, Elite, TSG Global Wagering Solutions (GWS) and XBTV. 1/ST TECHNOLOGY is racing’s largest racing and gaming technology company offering world-class products via its AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST BET, XB SELECT, XB NET, PariMAX and Betmix brands. 1/ST EXPERIENCE blends the worlds of sports, entertainment and hospitality through innovative content development, elevated national and local venue management and hospitality, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and procurement development. As the advocate for critical industry reforms and by making meaningful investments into aftercare programs for retired horses and jockeys, 1/ST HORSE CARE represents The Stronach Group’s commitment to achieving the highest level of horse and rider care and safety standards in Thoroughbred racing on and off the track. The Stronach Group’s TSG Properties is responsible for the development of the company’s live, play and work communities surrounding its racing venues including: The Village at Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Paddock Pointe (Maryland). For more information, please email david.joseph@gulfstreampark.com, visit www.1st.com or follow @1ST_racing on Twitter or @1stracing on Instagram and Facebook.