Grand Job Impressive in Friday Feature Victory

Multi-Race Pool Estimates Up to $2 Million Florida Derby Day
Video: Samantha Perry & Ron Nicoletti Preview Florida Derby
Video: Samantha Perry Previews Saturday’s Late Pick 5
Video: Brian Nadeau Previews Saturday’s Early Pick 5
Saturday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $1 Million

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Bell Tower Thoroughbreds and Medallion Racing’s Grand Job bounced back from her first domestic loss to register a popular and decisive victory over Grade 2 winner Dorth Vader in Fridays’ feature at Gulfstream Park.

Ridden by Joel Rosario for fellow Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Grand Job ($3.20) completed one mile over a fast main track in 1:35.82 to win the optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares 4 and up by five lengths.

“She did it pretty easy. It was a good spot for her,” Rosario said. “She ran a big race.”

Sent off the 3-5 favorite in a field of six, Grand Job broke alertly and settled on the front end through a quarter-mile in 24.67 seconds, with Dream Concert pressing in second and 40-1 longshot Miles of Smiles three wide in third. The half went in 47.64 with Grand Job still in command, and she opened up once straightened for home to win in a hand ride.

“She has speed and she broke out of there like she wanted to go faster,” Rosario said. “Bill said to just be a passenger and be comfortable wherever she was, and that’s what I tried to do. If I had let her go, she would have gone quick.”

It was the fourth race in the U.S. for Grand Job, who returned from more than a year between starts to score back-to-back wins last fall. In her 4-year-old debut, she set the pace and led into deep stretch before yielding to be second by less than a length in Gulfstream’s Feb. 15 Royal Delta (G3).

“I was very confident. She was there for me the whole time,” Rosario said. “Every time I asked her a little bit, she responded.”

Dorth Vader raced in fourth early and moved up to third on the far turn and edged Dream Concert for second. Winner of the 2023 Davona Dale (G3) at Gulfstream as a 3-year-old, it was the first race for Dorth Vader since finishing fourth in the La Troienne (G1) last May.

Multi-Race Pool Estimates Up to $2M Florida Derby Day

Anchored by the 74th running of the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) for 3-year-olds, the 50-cent all-stakes Late Pick 5 will have an estimated pool of $2 million Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

The 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby anchors a spectacular 14-race program featuring 10 stakes, five graded, worth $2.62 million in purses. First race post time is 11:30 a.m.

Sovereignty, dramatic late-running winner of the $400,000 Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2) March 1 at Gulfstream, is the 8-5 program favorite to give Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott his first Florida Derby win. Manny Franco will ride from outermost Post 10.

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The Late Pick 5 spans Races 10-14 and begins with the $165,000 Sanibel Island on turf, $165,000 Army Mule for 3-year-old sprinters in Race 11, $165,000 Sand Springs on turf in Race 12 and $165,000 Appleton on the grass in Race 13 ahead of the Florida Derby.

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Saturday’s 50-cent Late Pick 4, which covers Races 11-14, will have an estimated pool of $1 million. The 50-cent Early Pick 5 (Races 1-5), featuring three turf races including the $165,000 Orchid (G3) and $165,000 Cutler Bay, will have its pool estimated at $750,000.

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Other stakes on the program are the $215,000 Pan American (G3) on turf in Race 6, $165,000 Ghostzapper (G3) featuring White Abarrio in Race 7 and $250,000 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) for 3-year-old fillies in Race 9.

The Florida Derby offers 200 qualifying points for the May 3 Kentucky Derby (G1) to the top five finishers on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis. A similar scale is used in the Gulfstream Park Oaks for the May 2 Kentucky Oaks (G1).

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 will have its jackpot pool estimated at $1 million after going unsolved for the fifth consecutive racing day Friday. There will be mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6 on Sunday, closing day of the 2024-2025 Championship Meet.

Gulfstream’s Silks Simulcast Center opens at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Also on tap is the popular Tase at the Track featuring Wine & Tapas. For tickets click here.

Who’s Hot: Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. added three wins to his Championship Meet-leading totals, aboard Noble Prince ($3) in Race 1, Spy Novel ($8.40) in Race 5 and We Sea You ($6) in the Race 9 finale.