Saturday, December 19, 2015

Gulfstream: Speechify Faces Stiff Challenge in Bid for Mr. Prospector repeat

By Jim Freer

Speechify won the Mr. Prospector Stakes (Grade 3) at Gulfstream Park last year, and Singanothersong won that race in 2013.


Both will be back this afternoon when Gulfstream runs the 2015 Mr. Prospector, at six furlongs on dirt for 3-year-olds and up.

But it is very unlikely that either of those horses will be favored today.

Stallwalkin’ Dude could be the public’s choice among the strong and apparently well-matched field of seven sprinters.

He won the seven-furlong Rapid Transit Stakes on Claiming Crown day at Gulfstream on Dec. 5.

The Mr. Prospector also has stakes wining stablemates C. Zee and Grande Shores from the powerful barn of trainer Stan Gold and owner Fred Brei’s Jacks or Better Farm.

Trainer Stanley Gold
Trainer Stanley Gold

XY Jet came within ,38 of a second from a 15-year-old track record when he won a six furlong allowance on Nov.1 at Calder during the Gulfstream ParkWest meet.

Weekend Hideaway ran second to XY Jet in that race. On Nov.22 Weekend Hideaway was the fast winner of a five-furlong allowance on a sloppy track at Calder.

The Mr. Prospector, with a $100,000 purse, is one of three stakes races at Gulfstream on Saturday.

The $75,000 Tropical Park Derby is 1 1/16 miles on turf for 3-year-old males. The Tropical Park Oaks is 1 1/16 miles on turf for 3-year-old fillies. They are the ninth and 11th races respectively.

We will be at Gulfstream this afternoon and will have coverage on our blog.

Gulfstream has 11 races with first post of 12:05 p.m.

The Mr. Prospector is the fourth race with scheduled post of 1:35 p.m. Here is a look at the field from post one outward with morning line odds in parentheses.

1. C. Zee (5-1) won the 6 1/2 furlong Gulfstream Sprint Championship (Grade 3) in March but is winless in five starts since then. However, he had a blowout four-furlong workout at Gulfstream on Dec. 12. Edgard Zayas has the mount.

2. Singanothersong (15-1) has one win since the 2013 Mr. Prospector and it was via disqualification in a turf sprint stakes this past August at Gulfstream. But he has had two recent bullet workouts at Calder. Gerardo Corrales will ride for trainer Ron Pellegrini.

3. Stallwalkin’ Dude (9-5) wheels back in just two weeks with Javier Castellano getting the return ride for trainer David Jacobson.

4. Grande Shores (6-1) won the 6 ½ furlong Parrot key at Gulfstream in June and has hit the board in three other Gulfstream stakes this year. Jeffrey Sanchez will ride.

5. XY Jet (7-2), who always seeks the lead, ran six furlongs in 1:09.33 in his recent win. The seldom-challenged Calder track record track record is 1:08.95. Forty One Carats set it on Oct. 7, 2000 in the Smile Sprint Handicap. Emisael Jaramillo has the return mount on XY Jet for trainer Jorge Navarro.

6. Speechify (8-1) is a lightly raced 5-year-old making just his fifth start this year. He has won four of seven starts at Gulfstream. Joel Rosario has the call for trainer Ralph Nicks, He could be a bargain if he is 8-1 or higher.

7. Weekend Hideaway (4-1) won the six-furlong Sunshine Millions Sprint in a fast time at Gulfstream this past January. Paco Lopez has the mount for trainer Phil Serpe.

What to expect: The question is which horse or horses will attempt to stay in close range to XY Jet in the early going. It might be Weekend Hideaway or even Speechify or Singanothersong.

Look for Stallwalkin’ Dude to come on and win followed by Grande Shores or Speechify.


Gulfstream: Speechify Faces Stiff Challenge in Bid for Mr. Prospector repeat

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