Gulfstream: Turf Racing Resumes Friday Following 2-Week Hiatus

By David Joseph —-

Ryan Thompson Photo
Turf Racing Resumes Friday Following 2-Week Hiatus

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Turf racing at Gulfstream Park is scheduled resume Friday following a two-week hiatus.

A five-furlong optional claiming allowance for Florida-bred fillies and mares on turf will be featured on a nine-race program and will headline a 20-cent Rainbow 6 sequence that will span Races 4-9.

Laura Cazares-trained St. Pat’s Day, a six-race winner from 17 career starts, will seek to recapture her winning form while facing seven rivals in the Race 8 feature. Saffie Joseph Jr-trained The Dove Rules, a 3-year-old daughter of Bucchero, who has finished in the money in his last two starts on turf, will seek to get away from the gate a little better than his last three starts when drawing the rail in all three.

Friday’s Rainbow 6 gross jackpot pool is expected to grow to an estimated $125,000.

A full field of 12 well-matched fillies and mares has been assembled for a mile $25,000 claiming event on turf in Race 5.

Saffie Joseph Jr., Edgard Zayas on Track for Royal Palm Titles

With only three racing days remaining in the Royal Palm Meet that ends next Sunday, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. and jockey Edgard Zayas have their respective titles all wrapped up.

In a quest to win his 10th consecutive Gulfstream title, including the past three Championship Meet crowns, Joseph-trained horses have visited the winner’s circle on 91 occasions. Jose D’Angelo is second in the trainer standings with 41 wins.

Zayas has ridden 112 winners, well ahead of Emisael Jaramillo with 87 winners.

Zayas will venture to Saratoga Thursday to ride Joseph-trained Reach for the Rose in the With Anticipation (G3) a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 2-year-olds. Zayas had finished second aboard Ken Ramsey’s homebred 2-year-old behind Gabaldon in the May 11 Royal Palm Juvenile. Gabaldon went on to finish second in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot. Reach for the Rose, who had been scheduled to run at Royal Ascot before coming down with a fever, returned at Saratoga to capture a maiden special weight race on turf under Jose Ortiz. Jena Antonucci-trained Joey Muscles, who finished a troubled third in the Aug. 10 Proud Man at Gulfstream, is slated to make his turf debut in the With Anticipation.

Notes: Assigned the task of carrying 130 pounds off two weeks rest, Fly the W’s bid for a fifth win in a row and career win No. 21 came up 3 ¼ lengths short in Sunday’s Race 7 feature, a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming starter allowance on Tapeta. Jose D’Angelo-trained K. C. Chief led throughout under jockey Edgar Perez to win his fourth straight race. The 6-year-old gelding carried six fewer pounds than Fly the W.

Fly the W, who was second Sunday by 3 3/4 lengths over Post Facto, has won 13 races since being claimed for $10,000 Oct. 22, 2022. The 8-year-old gelding has never finished worse than third in 23 starts for trainer Bobby Dibona.

Averill Racing’s R Morning Brew breezed three furlongs in 36.25 seconds at Gulfstream Sunday morning in preparation for the $100,000 Desert Vixen, the six-furlong first leg of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series for Florida-sired juvenile fillies Sept. 7. The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained daughter of Curlin’s Honors scored an impressive 4 ½-length debut victory at Gulfstream Aug. 9. The Desert Vixen will co-headline the Sept. 7 card with the $100,000 Dr. Fager, the six-furlong open division of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series.

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