Summit of Speed Stakes Previews

By David Joseph —-

G3 Winner Well Defined Makes Return in $75,000 Carry Back

Among Five Stakes Worth $750,000 on Summit of Speed Program

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Stonehedge LLC’s homebred sophomore Well Defined, a Grade 3 winner around two turns over the winter, will make his first start since leaving the Triple Crown trail nearly three months ago in Saturday’s $75,000 Carry Back Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

The seven-furlong Carry Back for 3-year-olds is among five stakes, two graded, worth $725,000 in purses on a 14-race Summit of Speed program highlighted by the $250,000 Princess Rooney (G2), a ‘Win and You’re In’ event for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) Nov. 2 at Santa Anita, and $250,000 Smile Sprint (G3).

Also on the card are a pair of $75,000 stakes, the seven-furlong Azalea for 3-year-old fillies and the 5 ½-furlong Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint for 3-year-olds and up, starring two-time defending champion Pay Any Price. First race post time is 11:30 a.m.

Well Defined, trained by Kathleen O’Connell, has had four works at Gulfstream Park West since mid-May for his return to racing, not having started since exiting an eighth-place finish in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) March 9 with an injury.

The With Distinction gelding was 6 ¼ lengths behind winner Tacitus, who went on to finish third in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and second in the Belmont Stakes (G1), and was 2 ¼ lengths shy of fifth-place finisher Sir Winston, the 10-1 upset Belmont winner.

“The Tampa Derby I’m just throwing out. No. 1, it was just kind of a crazy-run race,” O’Connell said. “And No. 2, they weren’t letting us walk around in the paddock. They were spinning in circles and he actually reared up and almost fell over. He was very awkward.

“He didn’t fall over, but he fell down a little bit and tore a muscle in his back and I gave him a month off at the farm after that,” she added. “He’s always been so good and so consistent, so I’m just putting a line right through that race.”

Second by a half-length to Garter and Tie in his stakes debut in the Florida Sire Affirmed Stakes Sept. 1 – his last time sprinting – Well Defined came back with a front-running 7 ½-length romp over that rival in the FSS In Reality four weeks later. Unable to overcome a troubled trip in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) in his 2-year-old finale, he was fifth in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes Jan. 5 at Gulfstream prior to a gate-to-wire triumph in the 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis (G3) Feb. 9.

Jockey Luis Saez, who set Gulfstream’s Championship Meet record with 137 wins in 2017-18, will be aboard for the first time from outside Post 8. Well Defined worked five furlongs in 1:01.40, third-fastest of 17 horses, June 22 at GPW.

“He’s doing awesome. I think backing him up to seven-eighths right now makes sense because she’s so sharp. I’d hate to try and run him long because he’s just so sharp he’d want to do too much too early. We’re lucky enough to get Luis Saez on him,” O’Connell said. “I expect to see a big race. It all depends on how the race unfolds. It’ll be up to the horse and Luis Saez.”

Seismic Jolt, owned by e Five Racing Thoroughbreds and Stonestreet Stables, returned from a freshening to finish second by a head over Carry Back rival Cafe Du Monde in the 6 ½-furlong Ocala Stakes June 1 at Gulfstream. The 10 ½-length winner, Ralph Nicks-trained fellow 3-year-old Garter and Tie, is entered in the Smile Sprint.

The Ocala was Seismic Jolt’s first race since the Kantharos colt ran sixth in his graded-stakes debut, the seven-furlong Swale (G3) Feb. 2 at Gulfstream, where he was bumped hard at the start and was never in contention.

“He came out of the last race fine,” trainer David Fawkes said. “After the Swale I ran him the one time and he ran second, but Ralph’s horse a huge race that day. He ran really good. I thought my horse ran a good race off the layoff.

“When he ran in the Swale, maybe he was in a little funk or something. He just kind of threw in a clunker,” he added “But we gave him some time and freshened him up and he’s doing really good since.”

A 3 ½-length winner of the six-furlong Limehouse Stakes in his seasonal debut Jan. 5, Seismic Jolt tuned up for the Carry Back with a five-furlong breeze in 1:00.45 – fifth-fastest of 35 horses – June 22 at Gulfstream. Edgard Zayas, leading the current spring meet with 64 wins, has the call from Post 3.

“I thought my horse ran great last time, so we’re going to go ahead and give him a try. He had a really nice work the other day, and did it really well,” Fawkes said. “He’s a nice horse. We really like him. I expect him to run well. I expect him to show an improvement off of that last race. This will be a good test for him.”

Tracy Pinchin’s homebred Jackson won back-to-back state-bred stakes at Tampa Bay Downs before returning to Gulfstream to finish third in the seven-furlong Thirsty Fish Stakes June 9, rained off the turf to a sloppy main track. Third or better in seven of 10 lifetime starts with four wins, Jackson’s lone victory in seven tries at Gulfstream came in his debut last summer.

Cafe Du Monde, also third in the Roar Stakes April 20; Frosted Grace, unraced since the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth (G2) March 2; Running for Riz, Take Command and Union’s Destiny round out the field.

Lovesick Ready to Move Forward in Saturday’s Azalea Stakes
Fawkes Trainee Tops Summit of Speed Stakes for 3-Year-Old Fillies

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – e Five Racing Thoroughbreds’ Lovesick will seek her third victory in as many starts at Gulfstream Park Saturday in the $75,000 Azalea Stakes, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies.

The Azalea will be a supporting feature on the Summit of Speed program that will be headlined by the $250,000 Princess Rooney (G2), a seven-furlong Breeders’ Cup ‘Win & You’re In’ stakes for fillies and mares, and the $250,000 Smile Sprint (G3), a six-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up.

Lovesick returned from a 5 ½-month layoff to capture the May 31 Liza Jane Stakes at Gulfstream in eye-catching fashion. The daughter of Adios Charlie broke slowly from the starting gate to spot the field several lengths before settling into stride under jockey Edgard Zayas along the backstretch, swinging five-wide on the turn into the homestretch and drawing away to win by 1 ½ lengths.

“She stood in the gate and I don’t know what happened at the break, but she didn’t break well. Still, she proved best in there and overcame all that and won going away,” trainer David Fawkes said. “Looking at the noms and seeing what’s in there, I expect another good performance out of her.”

Lovesick, an $80,000 purchase at the 2018 OBS April Sale, debuted at Gulfstream Park last August with a dominating 4 ½-length front-running triumph at 4 ½ furlongs. She came back three months later at Gulfstream Park West to win the Juvenile Fillies Sprint for Florida-bred fillies, in which she showed the way throughout the 6 ½-furlong sprint on her way to a three-length triumph.

The Fawkes trainee tasted defeat for the first and only time in December at Tampa Bay Downs, where she chased loose-on-the-lead pacesetter and eventual winner Fashion Faux Pas before tiring to third.

“We just gave her some time after the Tampa race and let her grow up a little bit, and she did that. She’s doing great, excellent,” Fawkes said “She worked the other day and worked as good as you could have asked.”

Lovesick has breezed twice, including a five-furlong move in 1:00.45 last Saturday, since her triumphant return to action in the Liza Jane.

“She keeps moving forward. In fact, I think you’ll see an even more improved effort,” said Fawkes, who awarded the return mount to Zayas.

Laurie Plesa’s Itsmyluckycharm is slated to seek her seventh first-place finish in her last eight starts in the Azalea. The Eddie Plesa Jr.-trained filly is a multiple-stakes winner who captured the Mrs. Presidentress on turf Feb. 18 and the June 7 Portofino Bay on dirt.

The daughter of Itsmyluckyday is undefeated in two starts at seven furlongs on dirt, having captured the of-the-turf Portofino last time out and an optional claiming allowance Dec. 12.

Albin Jimenez has the return mount aboard Itsmyluckycharm.

Carrie Brogden, Robert Slack and Dennis Smith’s Just Ain’t Right, who finished third behind Lovesick in the Liza Jane, is scheduled to take on the Fawkes trainee again Saturday.

“We weren’t really shooting for the Liza Jane. It popped up in the condition book. It was mainly my fault because I don’t think she was as fit as she should be,” trainer Rohan Crichton said. “She wasn’t as tight as I wanted. I’m not saying she will win this race, but I think she’s going to run a vastly improved race this time.”

Just Ain’t Right, who was purchased at the 2018 Keeneland April sale for $150,000, won her first two career starts on Gulfstream’s main track during the Championship Meet before finishing third in both the Melody of Colors Stakes on turf Feb. 12 and the Liza Jane on dirt. Jane.

Luis Saez is scheduled to travel to Aqueduct to ride Just Ain’t Right, as well as Jalen Journey in the Smile Sprint.

Calinas Song, who finished second in the Liza Jane in her stakes debut for Cal-Ram Racing LLC and Great American Horse Company, is also slated to take on Lovesick again in the Azalea. Jairo Rendon has the mount.

Stonehedge LLC’s Blazing Brooke is set to make her 2019 debut in the Azalea following a juvenile campaign that included a pair of third-place finishes in the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series.

“She’s doing good. She hasn’t run in a while but it’s going up against straight 3-year-olds and it might be a good place to start her off,” said trainer Kathleen O’Connell, who gave the riding assignment to Jose Batista.

Dana Grace, Dizzy, Malibu Rainbow and Sky Chaser round out the field.

Proforma Seeks to Make Grade on Dirt in $250,000 Smile Sprint (G3)
Among Five Stakes Worth $725,000 on Summit of Speed Program

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – DARRS, Inc.’s Proforma, already a graded-stakes winner on the turf, will attempt to duplicate that success on the dirt as part of a wide-open field of seven sprinters in Saturday’s $250,000 Smile Sprint (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

The six-furlong Smile Sprint for 3-year-olds and up is among five stakes, two graded, worth $725,000 in purses on a 14-race Summit of Speed program highlighted by the $250,000 Princess Rooney (G2), a ‘Win and You’re In’ event for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) Nov. 2 at Santa Anita.

Also on the card are a trio of $75,000 stakes, the Carry Back for 3-year-olds and Azalea for 3-year-old fillies, both seven furlongs on dirt, and the 5 ½-furlong Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint for 3-year-olds and up, starring two-time defending champion Pay Any Price. First race post time is 11:30 a.m.

Proforma, based at Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md., is a gelded 5-year-old son of multiple graded-stakes winning sprinter Munnings, whose four career victories include the 2010 Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship (G2) in his lone South Florida appearance.

The Smile Sprint will mark Proforma’s debut at Gulfstream, his seventh consecutive start at a different track dating back to last summer at Monmouth Park. Winner of the 6 ½-furlong Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint (G3) last September, he is 0-for-2 in 2019.

“He’s just one of those horses that goes out there and gives you a big effort every time,” trainer Michael Stidham said.

Proforma ran third by a length in his seasonal debut, the 5 ½-furlong King T. Leatherbury Stakes April 20, won by Dirty in course-record time of 1:00.65. He returned to be second in the six-furlong Maryland Sprint (G3) on the undercard of the Preakness Stakes (G1) May 18 at Pimlico Race Course, beaten 1 ¾ lengths by New York Central, who ran a stakes-record 1:08.74.

“Numbers-wise his figures have been pretty comparable. His actual best number of his career was his last one, and that one was on the dirt,” Stidham said. “He won the Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint – that was a $500,000 race – so he’s obviously good on both surfaces. He’s training really well right now. We’re looking for a big effort from him.”

Albin Jimenez has the mount on Proforma (4-1) from Post 1.

Jacks or Better Farm homebred 3-year-old Garter and Tie, 7-2 and based at Gulfstream with trainer Ralph Nicks, has earned all three of his career wins over his home track, each of them in stakes, most recently a 10 ½-length romp in the 6 ½-furlong Ocala June 1.

Winner of the Florida Stallion Series’ Affirmed Stakes and one-mile Smooth Air as a juvenile, Garter and Tie was off the board in the Holy Bull (G2) and Florida Derby (G1) before being returned to sprinting. He was also nominated to the Carry Back.

“He’s in good shape,” Nicks said. “[The Ocala] was amazing. It was an amazing race. He just got into a huge rhythm and ran probably the best race of his life. We were very impressed, but it was impressive enough to wonder if he’s going to bounce a little bit. He’s put three nice races together, but it’s a bit of a concern.”

Jeffrey Sanchez, aboard for the past four races, gets the return call from Post 5.

Imaginary Stables and Glenn Ellis’ Royal Squeeze, unbeaten since being claimed for $25,000 Feb. 8 at Gulfstream, takes a four-race win streak into the Smile Sprint. Three of those victories have come in starter optional claimer company, but the 7-year-old gelding beat Garter and Tie by 1 ¼ lengths in the seven-furlong Big Drama Stakes for Florida-breds.

Overall, Royal Squeeze has earned 10 victories in 35 starts. Eight of those wins have come at Gulfstream, where he is three-for-four going six furlongs, including his last out triumph by a nose June 7.

“Last time he ran I expected him to pretty much open up on the field, and he didn’t,” trainer Elizabeth Dobles said. “I was a little concerned after the race, thinking that I might be kind of pushing my luck running him back and everything like that. Instead of breezing him, I wanted to have an easy race for him and that looked like a perfect spot. He ran a little quicker than I would have liked, but he seemed to come out of it OK.

“I don’t think there’s really any concerns with him. He’s doing the best he has been. We haven’t changed anything with him for him to go downhill. He can’t really improve much more than where he’s at now; he’s in his best form. The only thing I’m really concerned about with a race like that is the speed,” she added. “The last two races he went extremely fast. I wish I could get him settled a little bit behind a horse or two and then make his run, just so he’s not burned out toward the end of the race. He’s very fast.”

Jairo Rendon rides Royal Squeeze back from Post 6.

Paradise Farms Corp. and Walder Racing’s Fast Pass has been off the board once in seven career tries at Gulfstream since joining trainer Peter Walder’s string for the Claiming Crown, where he finished third in the six-furlong Express. The 6-year-old gelding has won his last two races, both in come-from-behind fashion, the latter by a length over Cautious Giant in the Open Lead Stakes May 26, also at six furlongs.

“Hopefully, there will be enough speed in front of him and he’ll do what he did last time,” Walder said.

Fast Pass will carry Miguez Vasquez, also up in the Open Lead, from Post 7.

Moshe Mark’s Cautious Giant, beaten favorite in the Open Lead, is entered to make his 49th career start in the Smile Sprint, his ninth graded-stakes try and first since the 2017 Whitney (G1) at Saratoga. Third in a pair of Grade 2 stakes in California in 2016, he has a record of 6-6-2 from 17 starts with earnings of $276,570 since being claimed for $16,000 out of a runner-up finish Sept. 24, 2017 at Gulfstream.

Commonwealth Stable’s Jalen Journey, the 9-5 morning-line favorite, will be making his stakes debut having won three straight races at Gulfstream since early March by a combined 17 ¼ lengths for trainer Kathleen O’Connell. The 4-year-old With Distinction gelding has been on or near the lead in each of his wins, two with Championship Meet record-holder Luis Saez, who makes the trip in from New York to ride.

“I wish the race was a little longer because he’s a very long-striding horse, but I have a lot of faith in Luis so we’ll just go from there,” O’Connell said. “I’m real happy with him. At least we’ll be walking right out of the stall. Again, I’d be happier if it was a longer distance, but we’re walking into a stake in Florida in our own backyard and we have Luis, so we have two out of three. We’ll see if we can eke it out.”

Completing the field is Amy Dunne, Ivy Hui and trainer Patrick Biancone’s Diamond Oops, a two-time stakes winner on the dirt at Gulfstream as a 2-year-old in 2017, returning to the main track after a pair of turf sprints including a fifth behind World of Trouble in the Jaipur (G1) June 8 at Belmont Park.