Gulfstream to Ring in 2017 With Mr. Prospector

There are six entrants in Sunday’s $100,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes (Grade 3) at six furlongs on dirt at Gulfstream Park.

It is the first stakes race of the year at the Hallandale Beach track.

Gulfstream had scheduled the Mr. Prospector for Monday Dec. 26, But the race drew only five entrants for that day and Gulfstream thus delayed it.

The Mr. Prospector is the fourth race with scheduled post of 1:30 p.m.

The Gulfstream New Year’s day card has eleven races with first post of  12:00 p.m.

Stablemates Delta Bluesman and Shaft of Light are likely favorites. Both are owned by Monster Racing Stables and trained by Jorge Navarro.

Others in the field are Yourdreamsormine, Candip, El Deal and Squadron A.

Delta Bluesman won the 2016 Smile Sprint Handicap (Grade 2) at Gulfstream, at six furlongs. Emisael Jaramillo has the mount.

On Dec. 3, Shaft of Light won the seven-furlong Rapid Transit on Claiming Crown day at Gulfstream with Jaramillo on board. 

Jaramillo is staying with Delta Bluesman. Edgard Zayas will ride Shaft of Light in the Mr. Prospector.

Shaft of Light and Delta Bluesman both have early speed. and are in posts five and six, respectively.

El Deal, in post one, also has speed.  In 11 career starts he has six wins, including two in ungraded stakes at Belmont Park.  He has the rail post with John Velazquez riding for Francisco D’Angelo.

The late-running Yourdreamsormine won two ungraded sprint stakes at Gulfstream in 2016. He is in post four and will be ridden by Paco Lopez for trainer Milt Wolfson.

Candip finished second in the Gulfstream Park Sprint (Grade 3) last Feb. 27.  He also will be coming from off the pace.  Tyler Gaffalione will ride for trainer Michael Tomlinson.

Squadron A, in post two, will probably be the longshot in the Mr. Prospector.  He has one win in eleven Gulfstream starts, most in $62,500 optional claiming races. Corey Lanerie will ride for Dale Romans.

--Jim Freer