GP Weekend: Pompay Horses Take Two Stakes, Sailing Solo, Always Shopping Win on Labor Day

Trainer Terri Pompay and owner My Purple Haze Stables combined to win two stakes races at Gulfstream Park over the Labor Day weekend.

On Saturday, they sent out Cool Arrow to a victory in  the $100,000 Smile Sprint (Grade 3) for 3-year-olds and up.

On Sunday, they sent out Heiressall (photo on home page) to a win in the $75,000 Sheer Drama Stakes at seven furlongs on dirt for Florida-bred fillies and mares 3-YO and up.

Those races were among seven stakes at Gulfstream during the 3-day weekend.

The weekend concluded with a special Labor Day card on Monday, and saw Sailing Solo and Always Shopping win turf stakes.

Saturday Stakes

Cool Arrow beat Krsto Skye by three-quarters of a length in the Smile, at six furlongs for3-YO and up.

Cool Arrow won on in 1:08.89 on the track listed as Fast.

It was the first stakes victory for Cool Arrow, who  was ridden by Leonel Reyes.

Gulfstream also had a pair of $75,000 turf stakes at 7 1/2 furlongs.

Manforte won the Bear's Den for 3-YO males and Maries Melody won the Miss Gracie for 3-YO fillies.

Sunday Stakes

Heieressall. at 9-5, beat Thissmytime by one length in the Sheer Drama and was timed in 1:22.79 on the track listed as Fast.

With Miguel Vasquez riding, Heiressall was in third place through a half mile and gradually wore down the leader Liza Star before taking the lead 70 yards from the finish. Thissmytime rallied to edge Liza Star for second place.

The win was the sixth in eighteen starts for the 5-year-old Heiressall and her first in a stakes.

The Sheer Drama was named for a multiple graded stakes winner, in 2015 and 2016, who was bred and owned by Harold Queen and trained by David Fawkes.

Queen and Fawkes combined to win Sunday's $75,000 Benny the Bull Stakes with Noble Drama.

The Benny the Bull was seven furlongs on dirt for Florida-breds 3-YO and up.

With Hector Berrios riding, Noble Drama beat Travy Boy by 2 1/2 lengths.

Noble Drama, at 3-1, won in 1:22.09.

He broke slowly and gradually gained ground before passing Travy Boy at the eighth  pole and pulling away. Garter and Tie rallied to finish third,

The win was the sixth in 21 career starts for Noble Drama, a 5-year-old gelding, and his third stakes win.

Monday Stakes

Sailing Solo led at every call and beat Louderthanbombs by1 1/2  lengths in the $75,000 Mr. Steele, at 1 1/16 miles on turf for 3-YO and up.

Sailing Solo, the 1-2 favorite, won in 1:42.44 on the course listed as Good. Edgar  Prado rode him for trainer and owner Louie Roussell III.

It was the 5-year-old and non-gelded Sailing Solo's third win in three Gulfstream starts--all on turf and all with Prado  as jockey.

Always Shopping caught Bienville Street about 70 yards from the wire and went on to beat that rival by a neck in the $75,000 Monroe at 1 1/16 miles on turf for fillies and mares 3-YO and up.

Edgard Zayas rode Always Shopping, who was sent  off  at 7-2 and won in 1:43.46. She is trained by Todd Pletcher and owned by Repole Stable.

The Monroe was just the second career turf start for the 4-year-old Always Shopping. Last year, she won the Gazelle (Grade 2) on the dirt at Aqueduct. 

Cristian Torres rode Bienville Street, who is owned by CJ Thoroughbreds and trained by Cam Gambolati.