Delgado Looks to The Puma to End G1 Curlin Florida Derby Seconditis

Wayne’s Law Carries McFarland Legacy in Florida Derby
G1 Winners Spirit of St Louis, Carson’s Run Top Appleton
Irish-Bred Stablemates to Make U.S. Debut in Sanibel Island
G3-Placed on Dirt, Yes It Tiz Back on Turf for Sand Springs
Veterans Back Em Up, Concrete Glory Tangle in Army Mule

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Trainer Gustavo Delgado will seek to shake a case of second-itis Saturday at Gulfstream Park when he saddles OGMA Investments LLC, JR Racing and High Step Racing LLC’s The Puma for a start in the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa.

The veteran trainer, a legend in his native Venezuela before venturing to the U.S., came close to winning the Curlin Florida Derby three times but had to settle for second with Majesto (2016), Bodexpress (2019) and Mage (2023).

Coming off a rousing victory in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3), The Puma has been rated fourth on the morning line at 9-2 for the 75th running of the Curlin Florida Derby that will headline a star-studded 14-race program with 10 stakes, five graded, with purses totaling $2.675 million. The 3-year-old son of Essential Quality will try to turn the tables on Chief Wallabee, the 2-1 morning line favorite who defeated him in his career debut at Gulfstream Jan. 10.

“It’s going to be exciting to see him facing these horses, Chief Wallabee again, and all the other horses. It’s also going to be exciting because it’s the Florida Derby. It’s home,” said Gustavo Delgado Jr., who serves as his father’s assistant. “We’ve had three seconds in the race, but we’re going to keep trying. Who knows? Maybe it’s time.”

Majesto finished second behind Nyquist, who went on to capture the Kentucky Derby (G1). Bodexpress, a 71-1 longshot, couldn’t catch Maximum Security, who followed up with a front-running first-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, only to be disqualified. Mage finished second behind heavily favored Forte before going on to put the Delgados into the Churchill Downs winner’s circle with a rallying upset victory in the Kentucky Derby.

The Puma, a $150,000 purchase at the 2025 OBS April sale, followed up his runner-up finish to Chief Wallabee in his debut with a disappointing third in the Sam Davis at Tampa Bay Downs before breaking his maiden in the Tampa Bay Derby.

“We always liked the horse. From the start, we thought he was a very talented, smart horse. More importantly, we liked the value. We got him at the OBS sale last year. We thought he was a great buy, physically, mentally and pedigree-wise,” Delgado Jr. said. “When we got a few breezes into him, he definitely started showing he had a great disposition – that’s why we took our time. That’s why we didn’t race him as a 2-year-old. We wanted to put a good foundation into him. That’s what we do when we have a horse we think can campaign in these kind of races.”

Mage, who won the Kentucky Derby in only his fourth career start, and The Puma have similarities, Delgado Jr. said.

“I will say they both have good minds and good dispositions. At this point, they were very lightly raced. We will have one more race with The Puma going into the Derby, but they were in the timeframe from January to May,” Delgado Jr. said. “We have found both like to come from behind the field. That’s how they can be more effective. And they are both chestnuts.”

Hall of Fame jockey and fellow Venezuelan Javier Castellano, who rode Mage to his Kentucky Derby score, has the mount on The Puma.

Wayne’s Law Carries McFarland Legacy in Florida Derby

When the Florida-bred Wayne’s Law steps into the starting gate Saturday for the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa, he will be carrying the legacy of his breeders, Margaret and Wayne McFarland.

Margaret, who passed away in September of 2024, and Wayne, the retired District Chief of the Hialeah Fire Department who passed away in October of 2022, were small Thoroughbred breeders in Ocala who fell in love with the community and their horses. Before passing away they purchased the mare Mollie Merisa out of the 2018 Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale for $27,000.

Six foals, five starters and four winners later – including the stakes winner Sea Art – Mollie Merisa, a daughter of 2022 Florida Derby winner Harlan’s Holiday, will deliver McFarland Farm to its first Derby in the form of Wayne’s Law.

Jim McFarland, Margaret’s son-in-law, is thrilled and surprised at Wayne’s Law’s success.

“I’m surprised about getting calls about Wayne’s Law running and thrilled he will be racing Saturday,” McFarland said. “You bet your ass I’ll put a bet down.”

Wayne’s Law, a son of 2020 Florida Derby winner Tiz the Law who sold for $25,000 last year to Baalbek Corp., may be a 15-1 longshot but the colt hasn’t run a bad race. After breaking his maiden in his second start at Gulfstream by 6 ¾ lengths, Wayne’s Law won Gulfstream’s Aventura in September by 7 ¼ lengths. After ending his 2-year-old year with a third-place finish at Delta Downs in the Jean Lafitte, Wayne’s Law enters Saturday’s Derby off a second-place finish Feb. 7 in the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs behind the highly regarded Renegade.

There have been some tough times for the McFarland family. Along with losing her husband, Margaret lost both of her children before she passed away.

“She lost her husband, daughter and son,” McFarland said. “It was such a tragedy, and I don’t think she really recovered. So, there’s not really much family.”

The family that remains will be watching Saturday as Wayne’s Law represents small Florida breeders Wayne and Margaret McFarland.

G1 Winners Spirit of St. Louis, Carson’s Run Top Appleton

Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb and Richard Schermerhorn’s Spirit of St Louis, upset winner of the 2025 Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1), returns to Gulfstream Park to kick off his 7-year-old season in Saturday’s $175,000 Appleton for older horses going a one-turn mile on the grass.

By Medaglia d’Oro, Spirit of St Louis had won six stakes – five against fellow New York-breds – heading into the Pegasus, overcoming an early bump and rallying from mid-pack to get up by a neck over fellow millionaire Integration. Spirit of St Louis won the Turf Classic (G1) two starts later and will be racing first time since running 12th in the Mint Millions (G3) Sept. 6 at Kentucky Downs.

Tyler Gaffalione is named to ride the 9-5 program favorite from Post 7 in a field of nine.

West Point Thoroughbreds and Steven Bouchey’s Carson’s Run (Post 4, 9-2) is a two-time Grade 1 turf winner, capturing the one-mile Summer in 2023 at Woodbine in his third start and 2024 Saratoga Derby Invitational going 1 3/16 miles. He has run at 1 1/16 or longer since the summer of 2024 and will be racing for the first time since finishing seventh in the 1 1/8-mile Manhattan (G1) last June. Hall of Famer Joel Rosario has the call.

“He’s doing great. The race is a little shorter than ideal, but the flip side is it’s at home,” trainer Miguel Clement said. “Since he’s not run since last year’s Manhattan, we thought it would be wise to get a race under his belt. This weekend is very much not the goal, if that makes sense. His best distance is 1 1/8 [miles] to the mile and a quarter. Nevertheless, by running him you’ll get him race fit, tight and ready for the big season we expect him to have this year.”

JSM Equine’s Beach Gold (Post 9, 4-1) upset the 2025 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Mile at odds of 22-1 last summer off back-to-back wins on the Gulfstream turf, where he is 3-for-9 lifetime. The 5-year-old most recently ran third, beaten less than four lengths, in the 1 1/16-mile Canadian Turf (G3) Feb. 28 at Gulfstream and returns to a distance where he has two wins and two thirds in six tries.

“He produces his best performance when he runs a mile. Each time he run over a mile, he doesn’t have the same finish. He’s very limited. Now we have a mile race and we expect him to do his best,” trainer Patrick Biancone said. “He ran extremely good last time. He tries all the time. We know with him the trip is going to make the race. These horses face each other all the game and one day one wins and another day another one wins. Hopefully it’s his turn this time.”

Also entered are Missed the Cut (Post 2, 12-1), a three-time Grade 3 winner in Southern California, twice on the grass; Quatrocento (Post 6, 3-1), winner of the 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay (G3) Jan. 31 under Julien Leparoux, recently named winner of the George Woolf Memorial Award; Nantasket Beach (Post 1, 15-1), 5-for-12 lifetime on the Gulfstream turf; Prevent (Post 3, 30-1), winner of four stakes on the all-weather Tapeta course; Westside Tide (Post 5, 20-1), seventh last out in the Canadian Turf; and Tomasello (Post 8, 12-1), exiting a win in the San Cristobal going a mile and 70 yards on Gulfstream’s Tapeta Feb. 28.

Irish-Bred Stablemates to Make U.S. Debut in Sanibel Island

Irish-bred stablemates Secret Hideaway and Smexy will give trainer Brendan Walsh a strong 1-2 punch when they make their North American debut in Saturday’s $175,000 Sanibel Island for 3-year-old fillies going 7 ½ furlongs on the grass.

Medallion Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Evan Trommer and Mrs. Paul Shanahan’s Secret Hideaway (Post 8, 2-1) sprinted on the grass in Europe, winning the five-furlong Marygate at York and beaten two lengths when sixth in the Prix Six Perfections (G3) at Deauville in France. She has not raced since being well-beaten in the six-furlong Lowther (G2) last August.

Mark Dobbin’s Smexy (Post 9, 9-2) has raced exclusively in Ireland, finishing third in the Saudi Cup Silver Flash (G3) as a maiden then graduating next time out, both at Leopardstown. Most recently she finished sixth in the Weld Park (G3) in September at The Curragh.

“[Secret Hideaway] broke her maiden in a stake in England. She’s pretty nice,” Walsh said. “Smexy broke her maiden in Ireland last year, and she’s pretty nice, too.”

Tam Tam (Post 5, 5-1) made her grass and Gulfstream debut Feb. 7, winning a one-mile maiden special weight by three-quarters of a length as the favorite. Vekoma View (Post 3, 6-1) similarly graduated on the Gulfstream turf Feb. 21, her second start, at the Sanibel Island distance.

Laigina (Post 8, 8-1) has two wins and a second in three tries on the grass at Gulfstream, capturing a Florida-bred allowance going one mile Feb. 7. Second in the Jan. 3 Ginger Brew, also at a mile, she ran fourth in the 1 1/16-mile Florida Oaks (G3) March 7 over a turf course rated good at Tampa Bay Downs.

“We tried to go longer last time and we found the soft ground. We feel like 7 ½ [furlongs] to a mile is going to be her trip. We expect a very good race from her,” trainer Patrick Biancone said. “She won here going the distance already in her first time on the turf and she will appreciate the firm ground.”

Secane (Post 4, 20-1) will be making her turf debut for Championship Meet leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. Her first four races have come on dirt including thirds in the Tempted at Aqueduct last fall and Jan. 1 Cash Run at Gulfstream, both going one mile. Last time out she was a troubled seventh in the seven-furlong Forward Gal (G3) Jan. 31.

“We’ve been kind of disappointed in her so we’re just trying something, trying turf and trying a little bit longer,” Joseph said. “We’re going to try to be forwardly placed with her and see what happens. We’re going in there without a reason, just more hoping than expectations.”

Boss Candy (Post 1, 30-1), Souper Landslide (Post 2, 10-1), Connect the Stars (Post 6, 15-1) and Back Ring Buzz (Post 7, 8-1) complete the field.

G3-Placed on Dirt, Yes It Tiz Back on Turf for Sand Springs

Full of Run Racing II’s Yes It Tiz, Grade 3-placed on dirt in her lone start this year, will be back on the grass on the course where she broke her maiden last spring in Saturday’s $175,000 Sand Springs for older fillies and mares.

The 1 1/16-mile Sand Springs comes two months after 4-year-old Yes It Tiz, by 2020 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) winner Tiz the Law, finished third by less than two lengths in a muddy edition of the Houston Ladies Classic Jan. 24 at Sam Houston. Her last four races have come on dirt, with back-to-back wins last fall in Kentucky.

Trained by Brad Cox, whose main winter base is at Payson Park in Indiantown, Fla., Yes It Tiz graduated at first asking in a 7 ½-furlong maiden special weight last April on the Gulfstream turf, coming with a late rally to get up by 1 ½ lengths. She made her next two starts on the grass at Ellis Park, running second both times, and has yet to finish worse than third.

“She’s been very, very consistent,” Cox said. “She’s a tough filly. She’s not a big filly but she’s very, very tough. I shipped her to New York. I shipped her from Payson to Sam Houston and New Orleans and back to Payson, and she’s done really well. We actually breezed her on the turf at Payson and I thought she breezed well on it.”

Yes It Tiz (Post 7, 12-1) was declared a non-starter in the 1 1/8-mile Comely (G3) Dec. 7 at Aqueduct when she tossed her head as the gates opened and wound up fourth. Junior Alvarado has the mount in a field of 11.

“She’s graded-stakes placed,” Cox said. “We need to make her a stakes winner. She’s dual-surfaced. She can run on turf or dirt and we’ll see what happens.”

Championship Meet leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. entered the pair of Silver Moonlight and Hang the Moon. C2 Racing Stable’s Silver Moonlight (Post 6, 3-1) comes into the race win five wins from seven starts on the Gulfstream turf at a distance where she is 3-for-4 lifetime. Last time out she ran third by a length at odds of 8-1 in the one-mile Honey Fox (G3) Feb. 28 behind millionaire Lush Lips and stakes winner Classic Q.

“I thought she ran very well last time, beaten by a Grade 1 winner. The horse that ran second is also a good horse in his own right,” Joseph said. “I thought it was her best effort to date. She’s coming back a little quick off of that effort, but this race isn’t as tough as the last one so you hope that she has enough to run well.”

Twin Oak Bloodstock’s Hang the Moon won the 2024 Jon Mabee (G2) and Rodeo Drive (G2) on the turf in California for previous trainer Phil D’Amato. The 6-year-old mare debuted for Joseph with a 3 ¾-length optional claiming allowance triumph going 1 1/16 miles on the Gulfstream turf Feb. 14.

“First time I thought she was very impressive [in] winning,” Joseph said. “She’s going to need to improve again but the way she won last time you would think it’s within reason that she should coming back not off such a long layoff.”

Also entered are Maggie Go (Post 1, 6-1), a Group 2 winner in Argentina and Grade 2-placed in the U.S.; Fantasy Performer (Post 2, 30-1); 2024 Memories of Silver winner Sweet Rebecca (Post 3, 5-2); Miss Mary Nell (Post 5, 30-1); Queens Command (Post 8, 20-1), 12-time winner Ashima (Post 9, 20-1); 2025 Colleen (G3) winner Candy Quest (Post 10, 7-2) and Olivia Valentina (Post 11, 50-1).

Veterans Back Em Up, Concrete Glory Tangle in Army Mule

Keough and Meaney and TCC Stables’ Back Em Up, second to Knightsbridge in the one-mile Fred Hooper (G3) two starts back, shortens up to seven furlongs for his return in Saturday’s $175,000 Army Mule for 4-year-olds and up at Gulfstream Park.

Back Em Up (Post 5, 12-1) was sent off at 26-1 for his 4-year-old and stakes debut in the Fred Hooper after two consecutive optional claiming allowance wins over Gulfstream’s main track, the first at six furlongs, by seven combined lengths. Trainer Bobby Dibona claimed the Take Charge Indy gelding for $25,000 last fall and he romped by 10 ¼ lengths in a similar spot in his subsequent start.

“He strung together four monster races for me,” Dibona said. “I think last time, the races were a little close together and I think he bounced off the Hooper. But, he’s really been training lights out. He’s got two bullets coming into the race. He’s locked and loaded and I think he’s going to run a big one.”

Big Frank Stable’s Concrete Glory (Post 4, 8-1) was claimed for $6,250 in December 2022 and has made his last 20 starts for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., 12 of them wins. The 7-year-old gelding ran second in last winter’s Gulfstream Park Sprint and most recently won the six-furlong Pelican by two lengths in front-running fashion Feb. 7 at Tampa Bay Downs.

For his career Concrete Glory is undefeated in five starts at seven furlongs and has a record of 10-4-1 from 17 tries on Gulfstream’s main track.

“He’s been an amazing horse to claim for 6250 and then accomplish what he has. It just shows the determination and the mind that he has,” Joseph said. “He’s a really cool horse, one of the favorites in the barn. He likes this distance and hopefully he’ll put up a good showing.”

The narrow 3-1 program favorite in the Army Mule is Mark Fletcher Taylor, trainer Rohan Crichton and Daniel Walters’ Macho Music (Post 9), who drops in company after three straight graded-stakes attempts. The 4-year-old son of Maclean’s Music won the Pat Day Mile (G2) and was seventh after setting the pace in the Woody Stephens (G1) last summer, and will be racing for the first time since running fourth in the Amsterdam (G2) last July.

LNJ Foxwoods’ Scotland (Post 3, 9-2) won the 2023 Curlin at Saratoga as a 3-year-old and over the last two seasons has run in and placed in five graded-stakes including seconds in the 2024 Vosburgh (G3) and 2025 Forego (G1). Third or better in 13 of 18 career starts, the 6-year-old gelding most recently ran ninth in the Cherokee Mile Nov. 30.

Completing the field are Playmea Tune (Post 1, 8-1), Penthathlon (Post 2, 8-1), Rolando (Post 6, 15-1), Dreaming of Kona (Post 7, 30-1), Jack’s Promise (Post 8, 6-1) and 2025 Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Owen Almighty (Post 10, 7-2).