Planned Workouts for Holy Bull Prospects Delayed by Rain
Drenching overnight thunderstorms left Gulfstream Park’s main track too wet for James Cavanaugh and Chris Pallas’s Mambo Meister and Patriot Stable’s Famous Patriot to post workouts Monday, ahead of Saturday’s $150,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3).
Trainer Tim Hills is not too concerned about the weather for Famous Patriot, a 3-year-old son of Repent seeking a stakes win after breaking his maiden here on Mar. 6.
“He worked three-quarters pretty good last week,” said Hills Monday morning. “We don’t have to do much more. Depending on the track, we’ll probably do an easy three-eighths Wednesday.”
Famous Patriot, a Florida-bred, broke his maiden scoring by 2¼ lengths in his last start in his first two-turn attempt going 1 1/8 miles. The Holy Bull will be contested at 1 3/16 miles.
Trainer Phil Gleaves was hoping to finalize a decision on running Mambo Meister, a gelded son of King Cugat, in the Holy Bull by Monday, but with the wet track that call has been pushed back a day.
“I want to make a decision after he breezes,” said Gleaves Monday. “It’s not so much a fitness factor as it is a mental factor. I want to sharpen his speed because his last work was a long (seven-furlong) breeze. I was hoping to do it from the gate, but with the dark day on Tuesday, we’ll try to go a half-mile from the pole.”
The National Weather Service is calling for a “chance of thunderstorms” over the next 24 hours after more than three inches of rain fell on the area Sunday.
Florida Derby Hero Big Brown Favored in Derby Future Pool 3
IEAH Stables and Paul Pompa Jr.’s unbeaten Florida Derby (G1) winner Big Brown is the 3-1 favorite for the 134th Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs on Sat., May 3 after the close of Future Pool 3 wagering Sunday in the wake of Saturday’s renewals of the Wood Memorial (G1), Santa Anita Derby (G1) and Illinois Derby (G2).
Big Brown will go into the Derby after making only three career starts, breaking his maiden by 11¼ lengths last summer at Saratoga for Pompa and trainer Patrick Reynolds before a majority interest was sold to the IEAH syndicate.
In his two starts this year at Gulfstream for trainer Rick Dutrow, the son of Boundary won an allowance race going one mile by 12¾ lengths on Mar. 5 and the Florida Derby by five lengths on Mar. 29.
Most prominent among the 3-year-old fillies to race at Gulfstream this season in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) Future Pool 3 wagering was Cloverleaf Farm II’s Bsharpsonata, game runner-up by a neck to 16-1 longshot Little Belle in Saturday’s $500,000 Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland.
Trained by Maryland-based Tim Salzman, Bsharpsonata spent the winter at Gulfstream under the care of John Salzman, Tim’s father. The homebred daughter of Pulpit won the Forward Gal Stakes (G2) and Davona Dale Stakes (G2) prior to her good effort in the Ashland.
Bsharpsonata was posted at 8-1 when Pool 3 Future wagering closed Sunday, co-fourth choice behind Eight Belles, winner of Sunday’s Fantasy Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park, at 5-1.
Pletcher Retakes Lead in Trainers Standings
Todd Pletcher was at Keeneland over the weekend, but his lone starter Sunday at Gulfstream Park, Little Brother Stable’s 4-year-old gelding Linkin, won the sixth race to break a tie atop the trainers’ leader board with Wayne Catalano (25-24). There are 10 racing days to go before the sessions closes Sun., Apr. 20.
Pletcher is bidding for a fifth consecutive Gulfstream title in a race that could go down to the wire. Nick Zito ranks third with 22 tallies, followed by Peter Walder fourth at 20 and nine-time Gulfstream champion Bill Mott fifth with 19.
The title chase among jockeys is virtually sealed with Eibar Coa on the lead with 75 winners. John Velazquez is second with 72 and Jose Lezcano is well back in third with 55. All three have moved on to ride at Keeneland and Aqueduct and they aren’t expected to return before the meet closes.
Big Weekend for Baird
Veteran Chicago-circuit jockey E.T. Baird is making a rare South Florida appearance at Gulfstream Park ahead of the upcoming Arlington Park meet and he had a special weekend in both places.
Saturday, the 42-year-old Chicago native flew back home to guide Louie Roussel III and Ronnie Lamarque’s 3-year-old Recapturetheglory to a wire-to-wire victory in the $500,000 Illinois Derby (G2) at Hawthorne. He returned to Gulfstream for Sunday’s card and won three races.
Baird has won 12 races from 87 mounts since deciding to come to Gulfstream in early February, following a family vacation and a week riding at Fair Grounds