Nobiz Like Shobiz & Corinthian Star on Saturday at Gulfstream
The appearance of Elizabeth Valando’s 3-year-old Kentucky Derby (G1) hopeful Nobiz Like Shobiz as a solid favorite in the $350,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) and Centennial Farms’ emerging older star Corinthian in the $350,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2) will be among the highlights of an outstanding Saturday program at Gulfstream Park.
Completing the Saturday stakes line-up will be renewals of the $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds at 7 ½ furlongs and the $225,000 Richter Scale Breeders’ Cup (G2) for 4-year-olds and up at seven furlongs.
‘Nobiz’ Faces Stormello in East-West Clash of Derby Hopefuls
Nobiz Like Shobiz will be the 6-to-5 morning line favorite when he goes to the post for the 1 1/8 miles Fountain of Youth, breaking from post 5 in the field of nine 3-year-olds with regular jockey Cornelio Velasquez aboard for trainer Barclay Tagg, who guided the charismatic Funny Cide through the Triple Crown campaign of 2003, winning the Derby and Preakness Stakes (G1).
A Kentucky homebred son of Albert the Great, Nobiz Like Shobiz has been ranked among the top Kentucky Derby prospects since his stunning 6 ½ lengths victory in the nine-furlong Remsen Stakes (G2) on Nov. 25 last year in just his third career start. He launched his 3-year-old campaign winning the one-mile Holy Bull Stakes (G3) over the Gulfstream track impressively by 1 ½ lengths on Feb. 3.
This 61st running of the Fountain of Youth, traditional prelude to the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) on Sat., Mar. 31, took on considerable appeal with Alvin Eisman and trainer Bill Currin’s Stormello being flown in from California for the race to be ridden by regular rider Kent Desormeaux from post 4 as the 4-to-1 third choice.
Stormello is a Kentucky homebred chestnut colt by Stormy Atlantic with well-established credentials, capturing the Norfolk Breeders’ Cup (G2) at Santa Anita in October and the Hollywood Futurity (G1) last out at Hollywood Park on Dec. 16. Those efforts bracketed a fifth-place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Churchill Downs behind 2-year-old Eclipse Award champion Street Sense.
Trainer Todd Pletcher’s arsenal of potential Derby candidates will be well represented in the Fountain of Youth by James Scatuorchio and Michael Tabor’s Scat Daddy. With regular partner John Velazquez in the saddle, the colt breaks from post 8 after finishing third in the Holy Bull behind Nobiz Like Shobiz.
A son of highly successful freshman stallion Johannesburg, Scat Daddy was a $250,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase and captured the Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park in October with ‘Nobiz’ three-quarters of a length back in second. He completed his season finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
John Murphy, Sr.’s Adore the Gold will get his share of support as the mount of jockey Edgar Prado after his victory in the 6 ½-furlong Swale Stakes (G2) here on Feb. 3. Trained by Michael Gorham, the Kentucky homebred son of Formal Gold, has won four of five career starts, but will have to overcome the far outside post 9 draw.
Completing the field for the Fountain of Youth are Derek George’s Divine Master, Rene Douglas; Ione and Herb Elkins’ Drums of Thunder, Manoel Cruz; Rose Family Stable’s Hal’s My Hope, Jose Rivera II; Bisnalth Parbod’s Johannesburg Star, Rajiv Maragh; Peachtree Stable’s Meritocracy, Rafael Bejarano.
Imposing Corinthian Tops Gulf ‘Cap
Although Corinthian will be making just the second career start in a stakes race in the 62nd Gulfstream Park Handicap, the 4-year-old son of Pulpit was made the 7-to-5 morning line favorite for the 1 3/16 miles fixture with jockey Javier Castellano getting a return call from trainer Jimmy Jerkens.
Corinthian made a dramatic entrance onto the national stage last year when he finished first in the Fountain of Youth Stakes with First Samurai second, but Corinthian’s erratic run through stretch caused him to be disqualified to third.
Subsequently injured and off the Derby trail, Corinthian made one more start last year, finishing third in a Saratoga allowance. He made a flashy return to competition here on Feb. 8, romping home a 9 ½ lengths allowance winner over 2006 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Jazil at nine furlongs.
Corinthian’s faces just five rivals, led by Live Oak Plantation’s Hesanoldsalt and Allen Paulson Living Trust’s A.P. Arrow, second and third last out, respectively, behind 2006 Horse of the Year Invasor in the Donn Handicap (G1) here on Feb. 3. Jockey Rafael Bejarano rides 4-year-old Hesnaoldsalt for trainer Nick Zito and John Velazquez will be atop A.P. Arrow for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Completing the field for this race are My Meadowview Farm’s Noble Causeway, Cornelio Velasquez; J. Robert Harris, Jr.’s Rehoboth, Eddie Castro; and Greg Besinger’s Summer Book, Mark Guidry.
Forefathers Faces Big Test in Hutcheson
Zayat Stable’s Forefathers has shown considerable promise for trainer Nick Zito, finishing a game second to Adore the Gold in the Swale Stakes last out, and he takes a big step toward becoming a major player in the 3-year division by facing eight rivals in a wide-open renewal of the Hutcheson Stakes with Manoel Cruz getting a return call.
A $680,000 Saratoga yearling purchase by Gone West, Forefathers made an inauspicious seventh-place debut on turf at Lingfield in England last August and was sent to Zito in New York thereafter. The good performance in the Swale came after he won his first two American starts at Calder late in the year.
Trainer Todd Pletcher will ‘Triple Team’ the Hutcheson, a race he has won the last four years in a row, including Keyed Entry defeating First Samurai last year. Jockey John Velazquez rode all four and appears to have the big chance aboard Pegasus Dream Stable’s Out of Gwedda, second as the favorite last out to Buffalo Man in the Spectacular Bid Stakes on Jan. 7 after capturing both of his juvenile starts.
Pletcher’s most accomplished starter is Team Valor Stable’s King of the Roxy with Edgar Prado taking the call. The son of Littleexpectations scored his biggest victory winning The Futurity Stakes (G2) at Belmont in September before finishing eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
Completing the field for the 54th Hutcheson are Lawrence Carroll’s Bold Start, Teresa and David Palmer’s Storm in May, Rolbea Thoroughbreds’ Finallymadeit, Reatas Thoroughbreds’ Reata’s Rocket, Eldon Farm Equine’s Spin Master and Padua Stable’s Air Lord.
Undefeated Half Ours Puts Record on Line in Richter Scale
Trainer Todd Pletcher sends out ‘live’ contenders in all four Saturday stakes with Marie and Aaron Jones’ undefeated 4-year-old Half Ours primed for the Richter Scale with John Velazquez aboard. It will be the biggest career test yet after a very impressive allowance tally over the track on Feb. 4.
A $625,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, Half Ours won both of his starts as a 2-year-old in 2005, including the Three Chimneys Juvenile at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day. However, the roan/gray son of Unbridled’s Song didn’t run again until a hard-fought allowance victory in December prior to the recent Gulfstream effort.
Puglisi Stable and Steve Klesaris’ Diabolical and Carolyn Bruder’s Bright One are 4-year-olds that made news at different points during the 2006 season. They make their return in the field of 10 set for the Richter Scale with jockey Mario Pino and Mark Guidry aboard, respectively.
Diabolical is a chestnut son of Artax trained by Klesaris and was last seen finishing a game second in the DeFrancis Memorial (G1) at Laurel Park on Nov. 25, three-quarters of a length behind Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) winner Thor’s Echo, who would be voted Eclipse champion.
Bright One is a chestnut son of Dance Brightly trained by Dale Romans that made a big impression winning the West Virginia Derby (G2) at Mountaineer Park by nearly six lengths in early August, but disappointed later in the season when unplaced in the Indiana Derby (G2) and Clark Handicap (G1) last out at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4.
Completing the field for the Richter Scale are Peter Congolesi’s Slam Bammy, Four Roses Thoroughbreds’ Nar, IEAH Stable and partners’ Dark Cheetah, Joseph Allen’s Ecclesiastic, Char-Mari Stable’s Park Avenue Ball, Rustlewood Farm’s Mach Ride and Ryan Haynes’ Little Thunder.
#####
For more information, contact Mike Mullaney, phone: 954-457-6451 or try Mike.Mullaney@gulfstreampark.com