Gulfstream: Saturday Stakes Previews

Posted On 20 Dec 2023

By David Joseph —-

Nicloe Thomas Photo
Sibelius Making Title Defense in $125,000 Mr. Prospector (G3)

Among Four Stakes, Two Graded, Worth $500,000 in Purses Dec. 23

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Jun Park and Deliah Nash’s 5-year-old millionaire gelding Sibelius, who used his win last year as a springboard to Group 1 glory, returns to make a title defense in Saturday’s $125,000 Mr. Prospector (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

The 69th running of the seven-furlong Mr. Prospector for 3-year-olds and up is among four $125,000 stakes on an 11-race Christmas weekend program, joined by the six-furlong Sugar Swirl (G3) for fillies and mares 3 and up, Tropical Park Derby for 3-year-olds and Tropical Park Oaks for 3-year-old fillies, both scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on the grass.

First race post time is 12:10 p.m.

Sibelius will be attempting to become the first horse to win the Mr. Prospector in back-to-back years and just the second two-time winner, joining X Y Jet (2015, 2017). Steve Margolis (2003, 2004) and David Fawkes (Jan. 2011, Dec. 2011) are the only trainers since 1978 to take successive runnings

Based year-round at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, Sibelius will be racing at his home track for the first time since a 2 ¼-length triumph in the Mr. Prospector on New Year’s Eve 2022.

Though he arrived at Gulfstream already a stakes winner, courtesy of the Lite the Fuse at Pimlico Race Course, and with graded-stakes experience, having run fourth by two lengths as the favorite in the Phoenix (G2) at Keeneland, Sibelius took a major step forward in last year’s Mr. Prospector.

“The manner in which he won the Mr. Prospector last year I think was very good. He jumped well, traveled strongly throughout the race and kind of drew off, which was visually impressive also, I thought,” trainer Jerry O’Dwyer said.

“Horses, they’re like us. They puff out their chest after a victory, especially when they get to travel smoothly in a race and kind of put horses away without having to work too hard which was kind of the performance he put up in the Mr. Prospector,” he added. “Horses do come back feeling good after that.”

Sibelius followed up with a stakes-record effort winning the six-furlong Pelican at Tampa Bay Downs Feb. 11, also under jockey Junior Alvarado, and a dramatic nose victory over defending champion Switzerland with multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Gunite third in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) March 25.

“Maybe it’s the time of year where he’s best, I don’t know. We’ll find out this year. It’s going to be his second year in a row trying to take the same path,” O’Dwyer said. “We’re looking forward to it. I couldn’t be happier with the horse. Junior couldn’t be happier with him. We think we have him where we need him, and we’ll let him do the talking.”

Sibelius’ good looks, curious nature and outgoing personality made him a fan and social media favorite during his week in Dubai. He is winless in three tries since returning to North America, running fourth in the June 3 Aristides at Churchill Downs, seventh by 4 ¼ lengths in the July 29 Bing Crosby (G1) at Del Mar and fifth in the Phoenix Oct. 6.

“It was a fabulous experience, without a doubt,” O’Dwyer said of Dubai. “He did have to work very hard and it probably took more out of him than we anticipated and taken a little longer for the gas tank to fully replenish. But we’ve been patient with him, we haven’t overraced him, we’ve given him time. He’s just a great horse to be around and be associated with.

“Taking a journey like that do Dubai is every trainer’s dream and hopefully we can do it again next year,” he added. “That’s our goal, is to try and get back to Dubai with him. Obviously he’s got to show up in the Mr. Prospector and then maybe the Pelican again. That worked last year, but he’d have to show up in both those races to let us know that he’s on his ‘A’ game to take him back to Dubai. You’re taking on Grade 1 horses and you can’t be going there half-cocked. You have to be fully loaded.”

Sibelius has breezed five times since mid-November at Palm Meadows for his comeback, most recently going a half-mile in 48.30 seconds, second-fastest of 18 horses. Alvarado will ride back from outermost Post 9.

“He had a nice breeze the other day. Junior came in and breezed him. He was extremely happy with him and so was I, so it’s all systems go. He came out of the work good and he’s training away forwardly,” O’Dwyer said. “He loves being at Palm Meadows. It’s a wonderful facility, very tranquil, lots of space. It’s a big track to train over so nobody’s really on top of each other. He enjoys that. He likes standing out and taking in his surroundings and we’d like to keep it that way with him.”

At the opposite end of the gate is Holly Crest Farm’s 3-year-old New Jersey homebred Great Navigator, never worse than third in nine career starts with three wins. He is twice graded-stakes placed, having run second in the 2022 Sanford (G3) at 2 and third in his most recent effort, the Oct. 1 Vosburgh (G2) at Aqueduct. Finishing ahead of him that day were Cody’s Wish, back-to-back winner of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and a candidate for Horse of the Year, and three-time Grade 2-placed Accretive.

The Vosburgh marked a cutback to seven furlongs after successive two-turn efforts over his home track at Monmouth Park.

“I think coming out of those two long races, he was much too relaxed and gave himself a little bit too much to do,” trainer Eddie Owens Jr. said. “I mean, he ran into some nice horses. The two horses that beat him, they were nice horses. Cody’s Wish was probably the best horse in the country at the time. [Accretive], he had the lead by himself, so I knew he was going to be tough to beat. Cody, he’s just a monster.”

Great Navigator will be facing older horses for the sixth straight race, twice beating his elders including a 10-length romp over fellow state-breds in the 1 1/16-mile Charles Hesse III Handicap Sept. 4.

“I was surprised how easy he did it,” Owens said. “He ran into a slow pace that day. They were going slow on the front end and I thought he wasn’t going to make it there, and then he just blew them away.”

Hector Diaz Jr. will be aboard for the first time in the Mr. Prospector.

“He’s been training down here very well,” Owens said. “I feel good. I think he’s going to run a big race. The post position, you don’t want to get stuck behind a lot of horses. Hopefully we get a good trip. If he runs his race, he’s going to be tough to beat.”

Grade 2 winner Howbeit and fellow multiple stakes-winning stablemate Winfromwithin, who have combined for 12 wins and $767,591 in purse earnings from 52 starts; 2022 Gallant Bob (G2) winner Scaramouche; Hurricane J, a front-running winner sprinting 6 ½ furlongs Nov. 19 at Gulfstream; Dreaming of Kona, promoted winner of Gulfstream’s one-mile Mucho Macho Man Jan. 1; Grade 1-placed Gilmore and 2019 Rebel (G2) winner Long Range Toddy complete the field.

Well-Traveled My Destiny Home for $125,000 Sugar Swirl (G3)

Multiple Stakes Winner Making Final Start in Six-Furlong Sprint

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – After crisscrossing the country with stops in Kentucky, California, Oklahoma and Ohio, Sam Wilensky’s multiple stakes winner My Destiny is back home for what is expected to be her last race in Saturday’s $125,000 Sugar Swirl (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

The 41st running of the six-furlong Sugar Swirl for fillies and mares 3 and up is among four $125,000 stakes on an 11-race Christmas weekend program, joined by the seven-furlong Mr. Prospector (G3) for 3-year-olds and up, Tropical Park Derby for 3-year-olds and Tropical Park Oaks for 3-year-old fillies, both scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on the grass.

First race post time is 12:10 p.m.

Trained by Wilensky’s father, Herman, 6-year-old My Destiny will begin her new career as a broodmare in 2024, already booked to 2022 champion male sprinter Elite Power. She is enjoying her best season to date with four wins, two in stakes, from eight starts including a career-best performance to capture the six-furlong Flashy Lady Handicap by 5 ¼ lengths Sept. 24 at Remington Park.

The Sugar Swirl will be My Destiny’s 27th start and 11th at Gulfstream, but just her first since capturing a 6 ½-furlong optional claimer March 24 by three lengths as the favorite under Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano.

“It feels like she never gets to race here,” Sam Wilensky said. “Unfortunately, there’s only so many stakes that are offered and she’s gone through all her conditions so it’s just kind of rare to have an opportunity at home, but this works out perfectly.

“This will probably be her last race and then she’s going to retire to be a broodmare,” he added. “There’s a small chance of one more race depending on how this race goes. If she hits the board first, second or third in the Grade 3, that’ll kind of complete the resume.”

Wilensky claimed My Destiny for $12,500 out of a Nov. 5, 2021 win at Gulfstream, and since then has registered seven wins, two seconds and two thirds from 16 Thoroughbred starts, as well as a 1,000-yard mixed breed race last August at Los Alamitos.

“You could never expect a [$12,500], non-winners of three life filly to do what she’s done,” he said. “She’s just a pleasure, not only because of what she’s done for us but her attitude and the way she carries herself. She’s by far my favorite horse we’ve ever had, so it’s going to be more than bittersweet to not see her here in the morning. But if you can get off the track safely and go have babies that hopefully we can train one day, we can’t ask for more.”

My Destiny enters the Sugar Swirl having run second as the favorite in the six-furlong Mahoning Valley Distaff Nov. 20, beaten a half-length after setting the pace. Her other stakes win came in the five-furlong Orleans Jan. 6 at Delta Downs.

“She’s a filly who brings it every time,” Wilensky said. “That was not her best performance up in Ohio but I think that was more about the surface. Those fillies went 1:12 that day; My Destiny goes 1:09 and change or 1:10 flat. Mahoning is a different type of racetrack. She’s happy to be home and going over this surface again. She’s doing phenomenal, so I couldn’t be happier about that.”

Edwin Gonzalez, a five-time winner on My Destiny up for each of her last two starts, gets the return call from Post 2 in a field of eight.

“It’ll be interesting to see who comes down and how they do on our home field for once,” Wilensky said. “We’re excited. Hopefully she can go out on the right note and it can be an end to a great career by her.”

Two-time defending Championship Meet leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. wheels Ed Seltzer’s 7-year-old homebred mare Bluefield back just two weeks off a determined neck victory in the seven-furlong FTBOA City of Ocala Florida Sire Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

It was the eighth career victory and first in a stakes for Bluefield, who also captured the 6 ½-furlong Musical Romance overnight handicap May 28 over Gulfstream’s main track.

“She went up to Tampa and it was nice to get a stakes win on her resume at this age. She came to us late but she just keeps getting better and better,” Joseph said. “She’s never run back this quick, but she’s in good order so I think she should run well. Hopefully she has a good week leading up to it.”

Bluefield joined Joseph’s string last year after registering five wins and two thirds in her first 12 races, all but one coming in the Mid-Atlantic region. She went nine months between starts and has gone 3-3-1 in eight tries since, the only time worse than third coming when fourth behind stablemate Three Witches in the Oct. 7 Princess Rooney (G3). She was also second behind Grade 3-winning millionaire Yuugiri in the July 7 Saylorville at Prairie Meadows.

“She came to us with some good form and then she got some time off and that really helped her,” Joseph said. “She’s been very consistent ever since she came back.”

Edgard Zayas will be aboard from the rail.

Joseph will also send out 4-year-old Intrepid Daydream, a recent private purchase by Miller Racing that has put together four consecutive wins including the six-furlong Shine Again and Politely and seven-furlong Maryland Million Distaff, all at Laurel Park. She arrived at Gulfstream Monday.

“It all came about very late. The owner was looking for fillies to buy and he was able to close the deal [Dec. 15],” Joseph said. “She’s been running well up there against restricted company so hopefully she can come down here and run the same way.”

Tyler Gaffalione has the assignment from Post 4.

Also entered are Magna Massa, a last-out winner over older horses in a six-furlong allowance Nov. 9 at Horseshoe Indiana; Olivia Darling, runner-up in the six-furlong Skipat May 20 at Pimlico on the Preakness (G1) undercard; Headland, a 10-time winner of nearly $700,000 in purses from 43 lifetieme starts; Spirit Wind, winner of the Musical Romance and second in the Princess Rooney, then a Grade 2, last spring and summer at Gulfstream; and Napa Candy.

About The Stronach Group and 1/ST

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@marylandracing.com. visit www.1st.com or follow @1ST_racing on Twitter or @1stracing on Instagram and Facebook.

About The Stronach Group and 1/ST