G2 GP Oaks Winner Power Squeeze Breezes for G1 Kentucky Oaks
Olivia Darling Prepares for G1 Humana Distaff with 5F Workout
Nicks Visits Winners Circle Before Stepping Away Sunday
Sunday’s Rainbow 6 Pool Estimated at $225,000

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Longtime South Florida trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. notched win No. 2500 Saturday at Gulfstream Park when Raging Fury scored by four lengths in Race 6 of a 10-race program

The highly respected 74-year-old trainer watched the milestone victory in Ocala, where he will attend next week’s OBS April Spring Sale.

“I feel very fortunate. I’ve been very blessed in this game. I’ve been blessed with great owners. I’ve been blessed with great support, especially from my wife and family,” said Plesa, whose wife, Laurie, owns Racing Fury with longtime client Donald Mensh. “Laurie just asked me, ‘How do you feel?’ I said, ‘Who would have thought I would ever win 2500 races?’”

Plesa, the son of highly respected trainer Eddie Plesa Sr., has been based in South Florida throughout his career but has enjoyed Grade 1 success out of town. He saddled Itsmyluckyday for a victory in the 2014 Woodward (G1) at Belmont following a second-place finish in the 2013 Preakness Stakes (G1). Plesa-trained Three Ring, the winner of the 1999 Davona Dale (G2) and Bonnie Miss (G2) at Gulfstream, captured the Acorn (G1) at Belmont Park.

Raging Fury ($10.20) took command at the top of the stretch under jockey Edgard Zayas and drew off to win the $35,000 claiming race. Just two races later, Epona’s Hope ($32.20) awarded Plesa with Win No. 2501 with an upset victory in the Race 8 feature, a five-furlong optional claiming allowance for 3-year-old fillies on turf.

Plesa, obviously, hasn’t grown tired of winning.

“I’m up here for a reason. I’m not up here for the weather,” Plesa said. “I’m not quite ready to hang it up. We bought a couple of 2-year-olds earlier in the year. I’m going to see if I can buy a couple more right now.”

G2 GP Oaks Winner Power Squeeze Breezes for G1 Kentucky Oaks

Lea Farms LLC’s Power Squeeze returned to the Gulfstream Park work tab Saturday morning for the first time since capturing the $200,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) March 30.

The 3-year-old daughter of Union Rags, who is riding a four-race winning streak, was timed in 1:01.13 for her five-furlong workout in preparation for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 3 at Churchill Downs.

“She went very nice. I’m very pleased with her work. She didn’t show any signs of being tired,” trainer Jorge Delgado. “Everything is in good order. She came back in great shape from the race. We’re just hoping she keeps the same desire for the next few weeks.”

Delgado is planning to breeze Power Squeeze one more time at Gulfstream before shipping her to Churchill Downs for a start in the Kentucky Oaks.

“It’s kind of surreal. One day, you run a claiming horse, then another day you run one in a Grade 1 with a chance,” Delgado said. “I’ve been working for something like this for a long time. It’s all about the horse. If you have the horse, they can take you places.”

Power Squeeze graduated at Delaware Park Oct. 7 in her third career start before capturing the Jan. 1 Cash Run at Gulfstream Park and the Feb. 10 Suncoast at Tampa Bay Downs prior to her successful graded-stakes debut in the Gulfstream Oaks. Ridden by Daniel Centeno, the Kentucky-bred filly rallied from fourth to catch 1-2 favorite Ways and Means on her way to a one-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile Gulfstream Oaks.

Centeno will retain the mount aboard Power Squeeze for the Kentucky Oaks.

Delgado also has Grade 1 plans for Amo Racing USA’s Olivia Darling, who captured the Inside Information (G2) and finished second in the Hurricane Bertie (G3) during the Championship Meet.

The 4-year-old daughter of Palace breezed four furlongs in 49.91 Saturday morning in preparation for the Humana Distaff (G1), a seven-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares, on the undercard of the May 4 Kentucky Derby (G1) undercard at Churchill Downs.

NOTES: Ralph Nicks visited the Gulfstream Park winner’s circle Saturday, a day before he will step away from training. Nicks-trained Fast Chad ($7.60) scored a dominating win in Race 1, a maiden claiming race for 3-year-olds. The 57-year-old horseman, who assisted Hall of Famer Bill Mott during the Cigar years before going out on his own to win 722 races, plans to travel throughout the U.S. following Sunday’s program, for which he has entered three horses.

Sunday’s 20-cent Rainbow 6 pool is expected to grow to an estimated $225,000 Sunday at Gulfstream Park, where the popular multi-race wager went unsolved for the seventh consecutive day to open the Royal Palm Meet. Sunday’s Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 5-10, including the highly anticipated return of Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Candy Gray in the Race 9 feature, a six-furlong main-track sprint for 3-year-old fillies. Candy Gray, a daughter of Twirling Candy, romped to a five-length debut victory at Gulfstream last September.