Thursday, April 26 2012

Florida Derby Winner Take Charge Indy Keeps Byrne Smiling With Work

BOYNTON BEACH, FL – After watching Florida Derby (G1) winner Take Charge Indy work five furlongs easily Thursday morning at Palm Meadows in 1:00 2/5, trainer Pat Byrne lowered his binoculars as the colt was galloping out and said to a handful of onlookers on the clocker’s stand, “There you go. How do you like those apples?”

Palm Meadows clocker Bryan Walls had Take Charge Indy in :11 3/5, :23 3/5, :35 3/5, :47 3/5 and galloping out in 1:14 3/5 under exercise rider Susie Bricker. The colt worked in company with Zimmer, a fourth-place finisher March 11 at Gulfstream in a $66,100 allowance optional claimer.

Friday, April 20 2012

Florida Derby Winner Take Charge Indy Works at Palm Meadows

BOYNTON BEACH, FL – Shortly before 7 a.m. Thursday morning at Palm Meadows, Chuck and Maribeth Sandford’s Florida Derby (G1) winner Take Charge Indy worked an easy five furlongs in 1:01.47.

With trainer Pat Byrne looking on, Take Charge Indy went :24.06 and :48.26 under exercise rider Eric Rodriguez, according to Daily Racing Form columnist and clocker Mike Welsch. Take Charge Indy worked in company with Transplendent, a maiden from the barn of John Kimmel.

Monday, April 09 2012

‘Urga’ Races to Victory in Wait a While

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Race to Urga captured her third-straight victory at Gulfstream Park Sunday while capturing her stakes debut in the $70,000 Wait A While on closing day of the 2011-2012 meeting.

The Christophe Clement-trained 4-year-old filly, who had captured an allowance race before starting her Gulfstream streak, had a perfect trip under jockey Jose Lezcano in the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes.

Meeting Took Off Running and Kept Going

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Discreet Dancer set the tone for the 2011-2012 Gulfstream Park meeting when he broke a track-record in his debut on the Dec. 3 opening-day program. The action on the track and at the pari-mutuel windows kept pace throughout the 87-program meeting, culminating in record-breaking handles generated by a steady stream of world-class performances by horses, trainers and jockeys.

Discreet Cat’s trainer, Todd Pletcher, and jockey, Javier Castellano, would go on to reach important career milestones while coming out on top in their respective standings. Pletcher, who claimed an unprecedented ninth consecutive training title at Gulfstream with 72 trips to the winner’s circle, recorded his 3,000 career victory when he saddled Spring Hill Farm for a winning performance on Feb. 11. Castellano, who collected his first Gulfstream title by riding a record 112 winners, scored his 3000th career success aboard Virtuously on Feb. 24.

Gulfstream Sets Handle Records

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Gulfstream Park will end a memorable and remarkable 2011-2012 meet Sunday by setting records for on-track and all-sources handle in its new facility.

Total handle will be more than $673 million, up $80 million or 13 percent over last year’s previous record of $595 million. All sources average handle will be approximately $7.8 million, up from last year’s previous record of $7.5 million.

Sunday, April 08 2012

Gulfstream Today: 4.7.12

Virginia Kraft Payson’s 4-year-old homebred filly Ruthenia took a stalking position in second up the backstretch of Saturday’s sixth race allowance feature at Gulfstream Park as Midwest Thoroughbreds’ 7-to-5 favorite Silver Prism set the pace in the 1 1/16 miles turf test before wearing that rival down to score by 1 ¾ lengths under jockey Luis Saez.

It was one of five winners on the day for Saez.

Saturday, April 07 2012

Gulfstream Today: 4.6.12

Gulfstream management announced that the 10-cent Rainbow 6 will offer a guaranteed pool of $100,000 Saturday, when there will be a mandatory payout for the innovative wager that requires a bettor to pick the winners of the last six races on the program.

The Rainbow 6 usually offers a full payout only when there is a single unique ticket with all six winners. The 2011-2012 meeting will come to a close on Sunday, but the mandatory payout was moved up to Saturday to accommodate bettors around the country where tracks and simulcast outlets are closed in observance of Easter.

Distorted Legacy Returns in Wait a While Sunday

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL - Bruce Lunsford’s 5-year-old Kentucky homebred mare Distorted Legacy was beaten a length for it all last out when fourth in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4, but will still be looking for her first ever victory on turf in Sunday’s $70,000 Wait a While Stakes on closing day of the 2011-12 season at Gulfstream Park.

Jockey Rajiv Maragh will have the mount on Distorted Legacy for trainer Angel Penna, Jr. in a field of 10 fillies and mares drawn for the 1 1/16 miles turf test. The chestnut daughter of Distorted Humor was a 45-to-1 longshot in her good try behind Perfect Shirl in the 11-furlong Breeders’ Cup.

Thursday, April 05 2012

Gulfstream Today: 4.5.12

Owner-trainer Angel Quiroz’ 3-year-old gelding Jordon’s Image split horses at the top of the stretch to draw along outside E. Paul Robsham Stable’s 13-to-10 favorite Angel’s Tune in Thursday’s sixth race allowance feature at Gulfstream Park and won a hard-fought nose decision in the 6 ½ furlongs test.

Jockey Joe Rocco, Jr. was back aboard Jordon’s Image after the same two rivals finished in reverse order, third and fourth last out, in a one-mile allowance race here on Mar,. 16, both well behind undefeated winner Gemologist. The latter goes into Saturday’s $1 million Wood Memorial (G1) at Aqueduct as the favorite for trainer Todd Pletcher, who also trains Angel’s Tune.

Gulfstream News & Notes: 4.5.12

Entrustment & Ruthenia Make Season Debuts in Saturday Feature

Farnsworth Stable’s Entrustment was graded stakes-place in California last year and Virginia Kraft Payson’s Ruthenia was stakes-placed last season in New York several times. The two 4-year-old fillies are set to launch their 2012 campaigns in Saturday’s sixth race $66,000 allowance feature at Gulfstream Park.

Jockey Jermaine Bridgmohan will be on hand to ride Entrustment in her first start for trainer Marty Wolfson in the ‘two other than’ allowance carded for 1 1/16 miles on turf. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Forestry makes her first start since finishing a close-up sixth in the H.C. Ramser Stakes (G3) on turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 16 when trained by Patrick Gallagher. She was sold privately shortly thereafter to Farnsworth.

Monday, April 02 2012

Gulfstream’s 10-Cent Rainbow 6 Pays Out Record $791,364.73

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – A single ticket on Gulfstream Park’s Rainbow 6 wager returned a record $791,364.73 Sunday to one bettor.

The total cost of the winning ticket - $2.40.

Gulfstream’s 10-Cent Rainbow 6 Pays Out Record $791,364.73

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – A single ticket on Gulfstream Park’s Rainbow 6 wager returned a record $791,364.73 Sunday to one bettor.

The total cost of the winning ticket - $2.40.