Distaff Turf Race Tops Sunday GP Card

By Jim Freer

The $50,000 Panama City Handicap heads the Sunday 12-race card at Gulfstream Park.

The race is one mile on turf for Florida-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up. It is the tenth race with scheduled post of 5:30 p.m.

First post is 12:45 p.m.

The carryover on the Rainbow 6 is $113,306.69.  It is on races seven to 12 with the sequence scheduled to start at 3:54 p.m.

Conditions  are fast and firm and the Weather Channel forecast  is for just a 15 percent chance of rain  during racing hours.

Josdesanimaux and My Girl Corey are the two likely favorites in the Panama City.

Both are trained by Ralph Nicks. They have different owners and are separate betting interests.

Josdesanimaux, owned by Palm Beach Racing Partnership, won the Panama City last year on Oct 1.  It had a $75.000 purse and was open to all fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.

Since then, the 5-year-old Josdesanimaux is winless in three starts—two of them graded stakes.

Luca Panici rode Josdesanimaux in last year’s Panama City and has the mount again on Sunday.

The 4-year-old My Girl Corey finished sixth in her last race—the $50,000 Treasure Coast at one mile on turf on July 15 at Gulfstream.  She was gaining in the stretch before being forced to steady and losing any chance to hit the board.

She won her two other starts at Gulfstream this year. One was a 1 1/8-mile turf allowance and the other was a one-mile optional claimer.

Tyler Gaffalione rode the late-running My Girl Corey in those two wins, He has the mount again in the Panama City.

Baracoa, Pancake and Bonita are others in the eight-horse field that appear to have solid chances of hitting the board.