Monday, March 24, 2025
Sovereignty is 8/5 on morning line . . .
    HALLANDALE BEACH - Godolphin’s Sovereignty, an impressive winner of the March 1 Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2), was installed at 8-5 in the morning line in a field of 10 3-year-olds entered for the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

    The homebred son of Into Mischief drew Post 10 for the 74th running of the tradition rich Curlin Florida Derby, whose starters have gone on to win 60 Triple Crown events, including 25 editions of the Kentucky Derby (G1).  The Curlin Florida Derby will provide Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale to its top five finishers, respectively.

    The 1 1/8-mile Triple Crown prep will headline a 14-race program with 10 stakes, five graded, including the $250,000 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), the $165,000 Ghostzapper (G3), the $215,000 Pan American (G3) and the $165,000 Orchid (G3). First-race post time is set for 11:30 a.m.

    Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Sovereignty made his 2025 debut in the Coolmore Fountain of Youth, in which he made a sweeping last-to-first drive to overtake River Thames by a neck. In his 2-year-old finale, he had captured the Street Sense (G2) at Churchill Downs with a similar last-to-first sweep to score by five lengths. Junior Alvarado has the return mount aboard Sovereignty, who breezed an easy half mile in 50.20 seconds Saturday morning at Payson Park.

    SF Racing and partners’ Madaket Road, runner-up in the Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn last out, drew Post 8 before being rated second at 7-2 on the morning line. Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, the son of Quality Road previously finished third in the Robert B. Lewis (G2) at Santa Anita. Tyler Gaffalione has the call on Madaket Road, who breezed five furlongs in 1:00.80 seconds at Santa Anita Saturday morning.

    Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, who saddled Fierceness for a record 13 ½-length triumph in last year’s Curlin Florida Derby to notch his record eighth success in Gulfstream’s premier Triple Crown prep, is scheduled to saddle Repole Stable and partners’ Disruptor for this year’s edition. The son of Gun Runner, who was purchased for $1.15 million at the 2023 Keeneland September sale, drew Post 4 before being rated third at 4-1 on the morning line.

    Irad Ortiz Jr. has the return mount aboard Disruptor, who turned in an eye-catching 9 ¼-length maiden special weight victory in his second career start on the Coolmore Fountain of Youth undercard. Disruptor breezed a half-mile in 48.99 seconds Saturday morning at Palm Beach Downs.

    WinStar Farm, CHC, Inc., and Cold Press Racing’s Tappan Street, runner-up in the Feb. 1 Holy Bull (G3), was rated fourth at 5-1 on the morning line after drawing Post 9 for the Curlin Florida Derby. Trained by Brad Cox, the son of Into Mischief closed from off the pace to grab the lead in mid-stretch in the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull, only to be overtaken by Burnham Square. He was beaten by 1 ¾ lengths while finishing 9 ¼ lengths clear of third-place finisher Burning Glory. Luis Saez has the return mount aboard Tappan Street, who had scored a 1 ¾-length debut victory at Gulfstream in his prior start. He breezed five furlongs in 1:01.80 Saturday morning at Payson Park.

    Ian Parsard, Shining Stable LLC and Stefania Farms’ Neoequos, who finished third in the Coolmore Fountain of Youth, drew Post 1 for the Curlin Florida Derby. The son of Neolithic, who scored a dominating victory in a Florida-bred optional claiming allowance in his 2025 debut, is trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., who saddled White Abarrio for a victory in Gulfstream’s signature race for 3-year-olds in 2022. Edgard Zayas has the mount on Neoequos, who is rated at 10-1 on the morning line.

    Donald Dizney’s Jimmy’s Dailys drew Post 6 and was rated at 12-1 for his stakes debut in the Curlin Florida Derby. The Brian Lynch-trained son of Vekoma, who finished second behind undefeated Grande while trying two turns for the first time in a Feb. 27 optional claiming allowance. Joel Rosario has been named to ride Jimmy’s Dailys, who tuned up at Palm Meadows Training Center with a five-furlong breeze in 1:01.80 Saturday morning.

    AMO Racing USA’s Cool Intentions, who finished fifth in the Jan. 4 Mucho Macho Man following back-to-back victories at Gulfstream, drew Post 2 and was rated at 20-1 on the morning line. Hall of Famer Javier Castellano has been named to ride the Jorge Delgado-trained son of Authentic.

    Chester A. Bishop and partners’ Enterdadragon, who is scheduled to make only his second dirt start in the Curlin Florida Derby from Post 7. The Jose D’Angelo-trained son of Outwork, who finished second in the Colonel Liam on turf on the Coolmore Fountain of Youth undercard last out, is rated at 30-1. Dylan Davis has the call on Enterdadragon.

    Just for Fun Stable Inc.’s Indecisiveness, a winner of one of four career starts, was rated at 30-1 after drawing Post 5. Jorge Ruiz has the mount.

    KEM Stables’ Smoken Boy, claimed for $75,000 out of an off-the-board finish in the Feb. 27 optional claiming allowance in which Jimmy’s Dailys finished second behind undefeated Grande, drew Post 3 and is rated at 30-1. Edgar Perez has the call on the Gr. 1 winner in Puerto Rico.

                       

Thursday, March 20, 2025
$1 million race goes on March 29 . . .
    HALLANDALE BEACH - Trainer Brian Lynch has confirmed that Donald Dizney’s Jimmy’s Dailys will make his next start in the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on March 29.

    Jimmy’s Dailys is slated to make his stakes debut in the Florida Derby, the premier prep for the May 3 Kentucky Derby, but the 3-year-old son of Vekoma has certainly kept the very best of company in his three starts at Gulfstream during the 2024-2025 Championship Meet after a six-month layoff following an unplaced June 23 debut at Churchill.


    Jimmy’s Dailys made his return to action with a fourth-place finish behind Tappan Street, who went on to finish second in the Feb. 1, Gr. III Holy Bull, in a Dec. 28 seven-furlong maiden race, in which Multiverse finished third before going on to break his maiden and finish second in the Hutcheson.

    “After his first start at Churchill, he had an unusual injury that we had to give him time for. He’s owned by the Dizneys, so we sent him down here to their farm in Florida,” Lynch said. “He probably wasn’t in the form that we’d have liked, but we wanted to try to get him on the Derby program. So, he probably wasn’t as ready for his first start as he could have been, but he’s really come on from that.”


    The Dizney homebred was certainly ready for his second Gulfstream start in a seven-furlong maiden special weight race on the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup undercard, drawing clear by 1 ¼ lengths after closely stalking the pace. Disruptor, a $1.15 million purchase finished third in that race, before going on to graduate by 9 ¼ lengths for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher on the March 1 Fountain of Youth undercard.

    Jimmy’s Dailys subsequently made his first start around two turns in a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance Feb. 27, setting the pace before finishing second behind Pletcher-trained Grande, who is undefeated in two career starts, both at Gulfstream
.

    “I thought he ran very gritty his first start around two turns,” Lynch said. “He got inside pressed after breaking from the 1 hole – he was committed. He was pressed by that horse of Todd’s, who got the jump on him. I liked the way when he got to the outside of that horse that he boxed on and tried to make up ground. It gave me some confidence that he can go a little bit further. You have to think second time around two turns he’s going to get better.”

    Joel Rosario, a 2024 Hall of Fame inductee, will have the mount aboard Jimmy’s Dailys for the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby, in which Godolphin’s Sovereignty, a most impressive winner of the Fountain of Youth for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, is scheduled to return.

    Jimmy’s Dailys is also on course to meet former rivals Tappan Street and Disruptor in the Florida Derby
.
Monday, March 17, 2025
On changes to HB 105 . . .
    “Today’s vote in the House Commerce Committee was disappointing. Let me be clear: The latest changes to HB 105 are not a compromise — they are designed to scuttle Florida’s vital Thoroughbred industry. No matter how our opponents try to spin it, this bill decouples live racing from voter-approved gaming requirements. This means fewer races, fewer jobs, and fewer opportunities for the hardworking Floridians devoted to this industry, including the passionate horsemen and women from the farms and barns who testified today.

    “If this bill passes, it will ripple across the entire state economy, gutting a major industry and sending Florida jobs and horses to other states and our dollars to Toronto. This industry has helped power Florida’s economy for generations, and we must not allow bad special-interest policy to dismantle it.”
Saturday, March 15, 2025
There was a huge payout on Thursday . . .
    HALLANDALE BEACH - Two maiden special weight events, one each on dirt and turf, and the 11th running of the $115,000 Any Limit for 3-year-old fillies highlight a 20-cent Rainbow 6 sequence that will offer a mandatory payout Sunday at Gulfstream Park.

    Post time for the first of 10 races is 12:50 p.m.

    Solved Thursday for a $298,604 payout, the Rainbow 6 pool is estimated to reach $1 million. The sequence opens in Race 5, a six-furlong main track test for 3-year-old filly maidens that drew a field of eight, five of which brought six figures at auction including offspring of Gun Runner, Nyquist, Union Rags and More Than Ready. In the Stars, a $300,000 daughter of Into Mischief, returns after finishing ninth in her debut last fall at Churchill Downs, one of two horses to have raced previously.

    Race 6 is a claiming event for 4-year-olds and up scheduled for one mile on the grass. Ocean Atlantique, a stakes winner of $561,635 in purse earnings, races first off a $35,000 claim for trainer Mike Maker, beaten a neck going 1 1/16 miles on the Gulfstream turf Feb. 14. Victory Dash and O Captain each exit a win at the course and distance, the latter taken out of his race for $25,000 by trainer Carlos Narvaez.

    Eleven 3-year-old maidens will line up in Race 7, a 1 1/16-mile claiming event on the all-weather Tapeta course. Ayman drops in class, stretches out and adds blinkers off a $17,500 claim by Narvaez after running second in a 5 ½-furlong sprint Jan. 24. Trainer Jose D’Angelo sends out the pair of first-time starter Big Bob and Skull Honor, second or third in four of seven starts, and Championship Meet leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. counters with the duo of Aussie Bound, going turf to Tapeta, and Maktub, unraced since late November.

    Older claiming horses are scheduled to go a mile on the turf in Race 8, where Smart Spending chases a third straight win after back-to-back scores on the Tapeta. Floribunda, unraced since mid-October, returns looking for a fourth consecutive victory, a streak that started with a one-mile turf win last March at Gulfstream.

    Sunday’s feature comes in Race 9, the Any Limit sprinting six furlongs on the main track. Rojo Rita, a 16 ¼-length debut winner at the course and distance Nov. 15, looks to rebound off a troubled run in the seven-furlong Forward Gal (G3). She is one of three Joseph-trained starters along with 2024 Florida Sire Desert Vixen winner R Morning Brew and last-out maiden winner Luvumorgan. Magnolia Prime captured her Feb. 9 unveiling in front-running fashion.

    The Rainbow 6 wraps up in Race 10, a maiden special weight for 3-year-old fillies scheduled for five furlongs on the grass. Snitch Dorada, a distant second to Rojo Rita in her lone start; Mae Town, beaten a half-length when rallying for third in a similar spot Feb. 15; My Anticipation, second in each of her races, one apiece on turf and Tapeta; and first-time starters Majustify, Blue Moon Tide, Timeless Wonder and Emoji are among the overflow field of 13.

     There will also be a carryover of $11,110 in the $1 Super Hi-5 (Race 10).
Saturday, March 15, 2025
Wins by a neck . . .
    HALLANDALE BEACH - St. George Stable’s Rolando showed himself to be a sprinter with a future Saturday at Gulfstream Park, where the son of Vekoma produced a thoroughly professional victory in the $115,000 Hutcheson.

    Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, Rolando remained undefeated in three starts at six furlongs in the Hutcheson, a stakes for 3-year-olds that co-headlined a 12-race program with the $115,000 Captiva Island, a five-furlong turf race for fillies and mares.

    “He’s a horse with natural explosive speed,” Gutierrez said. “You always want a horse that goes long, but in this case, we have a horse for one-turn, and I’m happy.”

    Rolando, who had won his prior start by 4 ½ lengths at the six-furlong distance two weeks earlier, broke alertly to press Guns Loaded on the backstretch past a first quarter of a mile in :22.27 seconds before taking over the lead and completing a half mile in :45.17.  The 6-5 favorite opened a clear lead under Tyler Gaffalione at the top of the stretch but would soon meet an outside challenge by Multiverse and jockey Drayden Van Dyke. The two well-regarded colts hooked up for a heated stretch duel, but Rolando would gamely hold on to win by a neck.

    “He’s a naturally quick horse. I just kind of put my hands down and let him get into a rhythm. Going into the turn, he kind of grabbed me and he’s one of those horses where you’re better off just trying to get along with him. He was carrying me, so I let him keep doing his thing,” Gaffalione said. “At the top the lane I asked him to go on and he finished up well. As soon as he felt that pressure coming on the outside, he found another gear.”

    Rolando, who broke his maiden at six furlongs before falling short at seven furlongs and a one-turn mile before returning to his obvious preferred distance for his last two races, ran the distance in 1:10.57.

    “It was a big effort especially on the short rest. He just ran here two weeks ago and put in a huge run that day. He’s really taken that next step forward that we were looking for him to do. Fausto and his team did a great job.”

    Multiverse, who was coming off an impressive maiden score, finished four lengths clear of third-place finisher Joey Muscles.