Edited Gulfstream Staff Release — Keith Johnston and Chris Aulds’ Big and Classy is entered to seek his ninth victory of the year in Saturday’s $100,000 Gil Campbell Memorial at Gulfstream Park.
The Campbell Memorial, a one-turn mile handicap for registered Florida-bred 3-year-olds and up, will be the supporting stakes to the co-featured $200,000 Affirmed and $200,000 Susan’s Girl, second-leg stakes in the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series.
The Bobby Dibona-trained 4-year-old son of The Big Beast, who is coming off a commanding victory in the Jackson Bend Handicap, currently ranks second in North America in races-won, one back of Wyoming-based Fayette Warrior.
Big and Classy has been no worse than second in 10 starts this year, including a runner-up finish to Dean Delivers in the July 1 Smile Sprint (G3) at Gulfstream. He will have an opportunity Saturday to turn the tables on Dean Delivers, who defeated him by 2 ¼ lengths in the six-furlong Smile.
Michael Yates-trained Dean Delivers, a Stonehedge LLC homebred, went on to finish third behind Elite Power and Gunite in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G1) at Saratoga.
Dean Delivers has been assigned 126 pounds, two more than Big and Classy.
David Bernsen LLC and Jeffrey Lambert’s Handy Dandy enters the Gil Campbell Memorial off the $80,000 claim at Del Mar. Trained by Bob Hess Jr., the 4-year-old son of Fury Kapcori finished fourth in the Hollywood Derby (G1) and Twilight Derby (G2) last year.
Big Daddy Dave, Boca Boy, Khozeiress, Noble Drama, Octane, Slim Slow Slider and The Skipper Too round out the field.
The 20-cent Rainbow 6 gross jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $75,000 Friday at Gulfstream Park.
The popular multi-race wager went unsolved Sunday for the fourth program following a mandatory payout Oct. 8.
Friday’s Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 3-8, featuring a deep optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares at a mile and 70 yards on Tapeta. Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Tamarindo returns to Gulfstream off a close-up second-place finish in a Kentucky Downs optional claiming allowance on turf. The 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief won the Ginger Punch at Gulfstream Park at a mile and 70 yards on Tapeta three starts back.
