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
