Gulfstream News & Notes: Victory Avenue Makes Long-Awaited Return to Action Sunday

By David Joseph —-

Gulfstream Park News & Notes

Victory Avenue Makes Long-Awaited Return to Action Sunday

$1 Million Florida Derby (G1) Remains in Play for Ferocious

G1 Winner Nakatomi Tops Nominees to Gulfstream Park Sprint

Victory Avenue; Gulfstream Photo

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – OGMA Investments, JR Ranch, Upland Flats Racing, Morplay Racing, High Step Racing, Lady Sheila Stable and Michael and Jules Iavarone’s highly regarded Victory Avenue, unraced since his debut run last winter, makes his long-awaited return Sunday at Gulfstream Park.

It will be the first start in 387 days for Victory Avenue, a $375,000 son of Arrogate, since finishing second as the favorite in a seven-furlong maiden special weight on the undercard of the 2024 Pegasus World Cup (G1). He will be the second Gustavo Delgado-trained colt this month to end a lengthy layoff, following Ferocious’ fourth-place finish in the Feb. 1 Holy Bull (G3).

“It’s like a common theme with our barn, just trying to get these horses up and running again,” co-owner and Miami native Ramiro Restrepo said. “He’s a really talented colt.”

Expectations were high going into Victory Avenue’s unveiling, when he broke inward and led for a half-mile, was overtaken and ran second behind similarly well-regarded Speak Easy, beaten 1 ¾ lengths. Among the horses that finished behind Victory Avenue were subsequent Ohio Derby (G3) winner Batten Down and Sir Barton winner Corporate Power, as well as Big City and Rapid Grey, who combined to win or place in 11 of their next 14 starts.

Victory Avenue breezed four times following his debut and was entered along with Speak Easy in the Fountain of Youth (G2). Both horses would scratch, Victory Avenue for being uncharacteristically quiet in days leading up to the race and Speak Easy after getting loose during the post parade and crashing into the rail.

“He was just such a naturally fast talented colt that he kind of took us to the [maiden] race. We started him at the end of January in a race when he really should have just started training at the end of January. Obviously, he put up a ridiculous race,” Restrepo said. “He ran out of his skin, but he kind of told us after the race that he needed some time. We turned him out for a good while and have taken our sweet time.”

Victory Avenue returned to the work tab Dec. 7 and has breezed eight times at Gulfstream for his comeback. He drew Post 2 in a field of seven for Sunday’s Race 4, a maiden special weight for 4-year-olds and up sprinting six furlongs on the main track. Hall of Famer Javier Castellano will ride.

“He’s had eight workouts so far and he’s ready to take that first step. We’ve been easy on him just to get him back. He hasn’t had any crazy bullets or anything like that, but with those works he’s fit enough to run and just re-start his career,” Restrepo said. “Obviously last year the imagination was running wild, but I think we’re a patient bunch and we’re just happy to get him back in the gate.”

Restrepo said JR Ranch, Marquee Bloodstock, High Step Racing and OGMA Investments’ two-time Grade 1-placed Ferocious bounced out of the Holy Bull in good order. Unraced since a fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) three months prior and wearing blinkers for the first time, he found himself within a head of the lead after six furlongs before tiring.

“He was tired seven furlongs in. From the quarter [pole] home he kind of flattened out, and that’s fine. It happens. He came out of it well. It was nice to have gotten a start in to get the year going,” Restrepo said. “The positive is that he did so many things that nobody even notices. He would get really nervous in the paddock. He would get really nervous in the post parade. He would get nervous in the gate and he would run in pieces in his races. He wouldn’t run a complete race. Those were huge questions for us. With the blinkers and the time [off], all those boxes were checked. He behaved like a total gentleman in the paddock, he behaved like a total gentleman in the post parade and starting gate. That was huge for us.”

The next start remains undecided for Ferocious, with both the $400,000 Fountain of Youth March 1 and $1 million Florida Derby (G1) March 29 both in play. Similar connections in 2023 saw Mage go from Gulfstream maiden winner to Kentucky Derby (G1) winner in four starts. Ferocious has 12 qualifying points for the Derby, ranking 16th on the list.

“He’s got more points than Mage did at the same point, so in that capacity we’re comfortable in the position that we’re in,” Restrepo said. “I don’t know what Gustavo’s next move is going to be. The plan was to go Holy Bull-Florida Derby. I believe that seems to be the same plan. I haven’t heard him say we have to go Fountain of Youth or reroute to another place or anything like that. I’m assuming Florida Derby will be the next start, and we have ample time to keep building on his training for the Florida Derby.”

Howard Wolowitz Looking to Go the Distance in Saudi Arabia

Gold Square LLC’s Howard Wolowitz had to travel a long, long way before arriving in Saudi Arabia Wednesday, so an extra furlong and a half certainly isn’t going to faze the 4-year-old son of Munnings. In fact, Howard Wolowitz should appreciate the 6 ½-furlong distance of the $2 million Turf Sprint (G2) on the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) undercard Feb. 22 far more than he relished the five furlongs of the Nov. 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) at Del Mar.

“This is not a horse that needs five furlongs. He needs more – six furlongs, six and a half,” trainer Jose D’Angelo said. “The six and a half will be better for him. He’s won over six furlongs, so I think it is perfect for him.”

Howard Wolowitz won one of his first three starts before capturing the $2 million Franklin-Simpson (G1) Sept. 7 over 6 ½ furlongs on the turf at Kentucky Downs. He regressed while cutting back to five furlongs on turf in his next start, finishing a troubled ninth in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. He rebounded in dramatic fashion in the six-furlong Holiday Cheer Dec. 14 over Turfway Park’s all-weather surface, closing from 11th after a troubled start to win going away by 1 ½ lengths.

Howard Wolowitz breezed a half-mile in 46.95 seconds Monday at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream Park’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, prior to his journey to Saudi Arabia.

“I’m very confident in him. His last workout was his best workout before a race,” said D’Angelo, who is scheduled to depart for Saudi Arabia Friday night.

Emisael Jaramillo, who was aboard for the Holiday Cheer, has the mount.

G1 Winner Nakatomi Tops Nominees to Gulfstream Park Sprint

Grade 1-winning millionaire Nakatomi and fellow graded winners Bold Journey, Super Chow and Damon’s Mound are among 14 older horses nominated to the $140,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint Feb. 22.

Nakatomi, trained by Wesley Ward, owns six wins and more than $1.2 million in purse earnings from 20 starts, capturing the Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G1) last summer at Saratoga. The 6-year-old gelding exits a sixth in the Nov. 2 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).

Bold Journey, winner of the 2023 Fall Highweight (G3), was third in a 6 ½-furlong optional claiming allowance Jan. 26 at Gulfstream behind fellow nominees Cyclone Mischief and Swirvin. It was Bold Journey’s first race in 10 months since finishing 10th in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1).

Hall of Famer Bill Mott-trained stablemate Damon’s Mound, the 2023 Gallant Bob (G3) winner, captured Gulfstream’s six-furlong Sunshine Sprint Jan. 18 in his first career try against Florida-breds. Super Chow, a last-out sixth in the Mr. Prospector (G3) Dec. 28 at Gulfstream is a three-time Grade 3 winner, most recently in last spring’s Maryland Sprint.

Other nominees include stakes winners Loco Abarrio, third in last year’s GP Sprint; Comedy Town, Gordian Knot, Lightning Tones and Mish; and 15-time career winner Concrete Glory.

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