Gulfstream Card Topped by Turf Allowance, 2-YO Race

Turf races for older horses and maiden special weights for 2-year-olds are main attractions in the spring at Gulfstream Park, and that’s what fans will find on Wednesday.

First post is 1:15 p.m. for the eight-race card.

The second race is a $47,000 MSW at 4 ½ furlongs on dirt for 2-year-old fillies.

The eighth race is a $25,000 allowance/optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles on turf for 3-YOs and up.  The purse is $43,000.  Scheduled post is 4:58 p.m.  We will have a preview early this afternoon on this blog.

Conditions are fast and firm.  According to the Weather Channel, there is a zero percent chance of rain in Hallandale Beach where Gulfstream is located.

Juvenile Race Field

The third race is down to five entrants, following the morning scratch of Lu Lu Laura.

The likely favorite, from the outside post is Bode’s Dream who is trained by Todd Pletcher.  Edgard Zayas has the mount.

Bode’s Dream is a daughter of Bodemeister, the second place finisher in the 2012 Kentucky Derby and Preakness.

St. Elias Stable purchased Bode’s Dream for $300,000 at the September 2015 Keeneland sale.

The new partnership of Jacks or Better Farm and trainer Mark Casse will send out Faith ‘n Works, a daughter of Hear No Evil.  Tyler Gaffalione has the mount.

Through early last month Jacks or Better used Stan Gold as its exclusive trainer in Florida, with considerable success especially in 2-YO races. Last month, for reasons not fully disclosed publicly, Jacks or Better owner Fred Brei moved all of his approximately 20 horses to Casse.

Since then Gold has taken on horses from several other owners, including former partners of the recently retired trainer Bill Kaplan.

The other horses in the juvenile race (trainers and owners in parentheses) are: Creative Talent (Juan Rodríguez, Eddie Castro), Spice Rack (Dane Kobiskie, Eddie Castro) and Faith N Hope (Juan Arias, Carlos Olivero).

*There will be a new pool Wednesday on the Rainbow 6, on races four through nine.

Sunday was a mandatory payout day for the Rainbow 6 pool and carryover, even with multiple tickets with all six winners. There were 87 winning tickets, each paying $3,713.38.

The Rainbow 6 is a 20-cent only per combination  bet, with multiple horses permitted in each race

*Wednesday is the 26^th day of Gulfstream’s spring meet which ends June 30.

Zayas leads the jockey standings with 27 wins. Defending champion Gaffalione is second with 24 and Emisael Jaramillo is third with 23.

Ralph Nicks and Jorge Navarro are tied for the lead in the trainer standings with ten wins each.  Pletcher is third with nine wins, all with a string of horses he has kept at Palm Beach Downs in Delray Beach.

*The Condition Book shows one stakes race this Saturday and one stakes this Sunday.

Both are scheduled for turf, and thus both are likely to fill.

Scheduled for Saturday is the $75,000 Cedar Key at 1 1/16 miles for Florida-breds 3-years-old and up. Entries for Saturday will be out late Wednesday afternoon.

Scheduled for Sunday is the $75,000 Hibiscus at 1 1/16 miles for Florida-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.  Entries for Sunday will be out late Thursday afternoon.

 --Jim Freer