Gran Oriente Popular Winner of $100,000 Soldier’s Dancer

Viking Cruises to Front-Running Victory in $100,000 Smile Sprint

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Epic Horses, WSS Racing, AMA Stables, BAG Racing Stables and Paul Braverman’s Gran Oriente, a dominant stakes winner at the course and distance in his previous start, followed up with an equally impressive performance Saturday to turn back stablemate Nemo for a popular 1 ¼-length triumph the $100,000 Soldier’s Dancer Handicap for 3-year-olds and up at Gulfstream Park.

The 1 1/16-mile Soldier’s Dancer on the grass was the first of two stakes on a Fourth of July holiday program followed by the $100,000 Smile Sprint, also for 3-year-olds and up, going six furlongs on the main track won by Viking in his stakes and stable debut for trainer David Fawkes.

It was the second straight win for Gran Oriente ($5.20) since the 5-year-old Chilean-bred gelding joined Royal Palm Meet leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.’s stable following Gulfstream’s 2025-2026 Championship Meet. After racing in Southern California since coming to the U.S., he made his East Coast debut with a 2 ¾-length decision in the Mr. Steele May 16 at Gulfstream.

“I think he won pretty impressive the last time, too, but you never know how they’re going to run back so we’re happy that we showed that potential again,” Joseph’s assistant trainer Sabine Langvad said. “He’s been really nice. He came out of the other race really well and bounced right back, so that was good.”

Gran Oriente and jockey Rasheed Hughes settled in mid-pack racing between horses as multiple stakes winner Tank led through a quarter-mile in 23.58 seconds and a half in 47.05, pressed to his outside by Tomasello with Indecisiveness further out in third and Nemo saving ground on the rail in fourth.

Micah Husbands and Nemo stayed put inside leaving the far turn as Hughes tipped Gran Oriente to the five path, where the Chilean Group 1 winner came with a steady run down the center of the stretch to reel in the leaders and edge clear of late-running Nemo in 1:39.75 over a firm turf course.

Nemo, making his 4-year-old debut after beating older horses in a one-mile optional claimer Dec. 7 on the Gulfstream turf, completed the Joseph-trained exacta with Missed the Cut rallying late for third. They were followed by Indecisiveness, I Know I Know, Grade 3 winner Layabout, racing for the first time since Feb. 28, and Tomasello.

“Saffie didn’t really tell the guys much. He kind of left it up to them, but they ended up getting pretty smooth trips, both of them,” Langvad said. “We were super proud of Nemo for coming off the layoff and running second. That was really great. He got through and ran a gutsy race.”

Owned by Herman Heinlein and trained throughout his career by David Vivian, Florida-bred Soldier’s Dancer won 12 of 33 starts and more than $1.5 million in purses between 2006 and 2010. Ten of his wins came in stakes including the 2007 Tropical Park Derby (G3) and Calder Derby (G3) and 2008 Miami Mile Handicap (G3).

Viking Cruises to Front-Running Victory in $100,000 Smile Sprint

Making his first start for trainer David Fawkes, Alex and JoAnn Lieblong’s Viking cruised to a 4 ½-length victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Smile Sprint at Gulfstream Park with a stellar loose-on-the-lead performance.

Unraced since finishing eighth in a two-turn allowance March 28 at Oaklawn Park, Viking gave jockey Edwin Gonzalez a smooth trip in the six-furlong stakes for 3-year-olds and up that co-headlined Saturday’s Fourth of July program with the $100,000 Soldier’s Dancer Handicap on turf.

Sent to post at 7-1 for his first career race at Gulfstream, Viking sprinted to an early lead he would never relinquish while setting fractions of 21.81 and 44.54 seconds on his way to a final clocking of 1:09.71 over a fast main track.

“He was comfortable his first time here and he did everything right,” Gonzalez said. “I got him to relax and just waited for him to give me that kick turning for home.”

A winner of two of nine career starts going into his first start for Fawkes, the 5-year-old City of Light gelding was making his stakes debut in the Smile Sprint. Classic of Course closed from well off the pace to finish second, 1 ½ lengths ahead of Beach Colt. Rolando, the 6-5 favorite who was coming off a front-running victory in the Big Drama Stakes, finished fifth.