Zabeel Racing International’s 7-year-old Irish-bred gelding Stream of Gold had run well in all five of his starts in the U.S. without winning since arriving from Dubai last summer, but broke through Sunday with a determined neck victory in the $150,000 Mac Diarmida Handicap (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

Ridden by Eddie Castro, Stream of Gold broke last at the start of the 1 3/8 miles turf test, got a good position behind horses early before hitting the front in the stretch, holding Godolphin Racing’s True Cause safe to the wire. Joseph Joyce’s Cougar Bay finished third, three-quarters of a length behind the runner-up.

A son of Rainbow Quest, Stream of Gold finished second to English Channel in the Turf Classic at Belmont last fall among several very good but losing efforts for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. He paid $4.60 to win in the Mac Diarmida and his time of 2:10:87 over the ‘firm’ ground established a course record for the distance.   

Winning Jockey Quotes

Eddie Castro:

“He was slow at the break.  I was a little worried about the fast pace.  I stayed behind horses and at the three-eighths pole I had nice position.  He just made one big run.  I wasn’t concerned about the other horse at the wire (True Cause).  When I rode him (Stream of Gold) last time (in the Gulfstream Park Turf), he quit at the eighth-pole.  He was very good today.”

            Winning Trainer Quote

Neal McLaughlin (assistant to his brother Kiaran)

“He broke flat-footed and came out last, but he’s so versatile, he can do anything. He’s a true marathoner. It turned out just fine with a fast pace up front and he was able to get covered up, getting a perfect trip. If he gets to the front too soon, he’s liable to try and pull. Today, he got to the front at just the right time. He’s been training great and loves it here in Florida where he can breeze every week on turf (at Palm Meadows). He’s a neat old gelding that we should have a lot of fun with this year. His next start will probably be the Elkhorn at Keeneland (Apr. 25).”

 Fractions:   

22:89, 45:46, 1:10:08, 1:34:94, 1:58:90 & 2:10:87 (Course Record)