Ageless Gelding Wins 13th Race Since Being Claimed for $10,000

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Grey Oak Stables, Michael Iavarone and Jules Iavarone’s Fly the W certainly needed no introduction in the Gulfstream Park winner’s circle following his victory in Sunday’s Race 8 feature, in which the 8-year-old gelding notched his fourth consecutive victory.

In addition to winning his fourth in row in the 7 ½-furlong optional claiming starter allowance on turf, Fly the W won for the 13th time since being claimed for $10,000 Oct. 22, 2022. The 8-year-old gelding has never finished worse than third in 22 starts for trainer Bobby Dibona.

“He’s got some things. You’ve gotta know how to handle him. You have to know when to step on and when to step off,” Dibona said. “He’s not the easiest horse, but I’ve got his number.”

Fly the W had to rally from last in a 12-horse field to score his 20th overall victory from 41 career starts. The son of Ghostzapper was outrun early and settled in 12th under Edgar Perez around the first turn and along the backstretch behind a fast, contested pace. The Dibona trainee advanced while sweeping past tiring rivals with a three-wide move on the turn but still had many lengths to make up in the stretch. Perez, who was riding Fly the W for the first time, angled him toward the inside approaching mid-stretch, and the ageless gelding put his head down and surged late to win by 1 ¾ lengths.

The 4-5 favorite ran 7 ½-furlongs on a firm turf course in solid 1:26.50 taking full advantage of sharp fractions of 22.57 (seconds), 45.04 and 1:09.48 for the first six furlongs.

Fly the W has now finished first, second or third in 34 of 41 career starts with 20 victories.

Friday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $250,000

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is expected to grow to an estimated $250,000 Friday at Gulfstream Park, where the popular multi-race wager went unsolved Sunday for the ninth racing day following a July 30 mandatory payout.

The Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.