Jockey Katie Davis Wins in Gulfstream Park Debut Friday

Finals of Florida Sire Stakes Series Top Saturday Program
$300,000 In Reality, My Dear Girl Headline 11 Races
Private Thoughts Looks to Start New Streak in Sabal Palm

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Even before she won, jockey Katie Davis counted her Gulfstream Park debut Friday as a success.

Typically based in New York for the winter, the 33-year-old Davis is spending her first full season at the Championship Meet, which opened Thanksgiving Day. She’ll see plenty of familiar faces, such as six-time leading rider Irad Ortiz Jr., Hall of Famers John Velazquez and Javier Castellano and Junior Alvarado.

“I rode with the big guys anyway in New York, so coming down here [and doing it is] nothing new,” Davis said. “I love it. I love the change. I’m enjoying the opportunities that I’m getting, and it’s a great experience.”

Davis made her Gulfstream debut in Race 2, finishing fourth on Bella Bello Banker for trainer Devon Dougherty. She rode for trainer Kathy Mongeon in Race 5, finishing second on favored G Speedy, and broke through with her first win aboard Etendre in Race 8 for Saffie Joseph Jr., the leading trainer of 14 consecutive Gulfstream meets including each of the last four winters.

“I’ve been breezing for Saffie. Before the fall I shipped out for Saffie. We weren’t working for him, but he goes, ‘Hey, I’ve got a horse going to Delaware. Would you like to ride it?’ I said, ‘Yes, of course,’” Davis said.

“I have my people in New York but there’s only so much you can do so I’m like, ‘Let’s venture out,’” she added. “It’s my first year being able to venture out because [4-year-old daughter] Riley, she’s not in school yet, and my husband [ex-jockey Trevor McCarthy] can work from home. My in-laws live in Delray, so it just works.”

The 4-year-old gelding Etendre, sent off a 3-5 favorite, broke in the air and had to rally from last instead of racing in his familiar position on or near the lead. Davis, subbing for Micah Husbands, stayed patient, hugged the rail and sailed through a narrow opening at the top of the stretch before going on to win the 6 ½-furlong claiming sprint by 1 ¾ lengths in 1:18.49.

“I don’t know how to explain it. It’s like winning again for the first time. It’s nice to have horse underneath you, and that goes a long way. I’m blessed that Saffie gave me this opportunity to pick the horse up,” Davis said. “It didn’t go as planned. He’s a speed horse and he was little tense in the gate.

“I was like, ‘I’ll just sit here and get in striking position,’ and they left it open just a tad and he went right through,” she added. “It was tight. He was kind of hesitant but I was like, ‘You can do it.’ I’m very happy with the outcome. It was a nice way to show my ability.”

The ebullient Davis emerged as a breakout star in the documentary series Race for the Crown, released on Netflix this spring. Represented by agent Ryan Bond, youngest son of trainer Jim Bond, she took advantage of circumstances to get accustomed to Gulfstream, the 19th American racetrack on her resume in addition to Camarero in Puerto Rico and Ascot in England.

“I had a suspension early last week and I told my agent, it’s actually pretty nice because I got to get down here, I got to walk around, I got to breeze over the track a little bit,” Davis said. “The very first horse I breezed, I went too fast into it because I’m so used to Aqueduct where the dirt is up past your ankles where here you’re skipping over it. I’m happy I got the opportunity to get around there.

“It’s like riding a bicycle. New place, sometimes you get those butterflies and I’m like, ‘Man, I feel like a 10-pound bug,’” she added. “But once you get on the horse, you’re there, you’re ready and it’s game on. We’re just looking for more opportunities.”

Finals of Florida Sire Stakes Series Top Saturday Program

The $1.2 million Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association Florida Sire Stakes series for 2-year-olds by accredited Florida stallions comes to a thrilling conclusion Saturday with the running of the $300,000 My Dear Girl for fillies and $300,000 In Reality at Gulfstream Park.

Arindel’s Grade 3-winning homebred Mythical will be heavily favored as she chases a fifth career victory in the 1 1/16-mile My Dear Girl. The bay daughter of St. Patrick’s Day, trained by Jorge Delagdo, faces five rivals looking for a fourth stakes triumph following the Tremont against boys, Adirondack (G3) and FSS Susan’s Girl last out Oct. 18, her first try against state-breds.

Love Like Lucy is entered to become the only filly to compete in all three legs of the FSS Series, having run third behind Group 2-placed Lennilu in the Desert Vixen Sept. 6 and Mythical in the Susan’s Girl. Her trainer, Saffie Joseph Jr., has 14 consecutive Gulfstream meet titles including the last four at the Championship Meet.

Trainer Jose D’Angelo, runner-up to Joseph at the recently concluded Sunshine Meet, will send out a pair of leading contenders in the 1 1/16-mile In Reality in Khozalite and Prost. Khozalite comes in off back-to-back wins including the FSS Affirmed Oct. 18 while Prost takes the step up to stakes company off a nine-length debut romp against state-breds Oct. 11.

The field of 11 also includes Squire, runner-up in the Affirmed and May 10 Royal Palm Juvenile on turf that ran fifth in the FSS opener, the Sept. 6 Dr. Fager; Camigol, second in the Dr. Fager after finishing third in the Saratoga Special (G2) and looking to bounce back off a disappointing Affirmed; Brad Cox-trained The Town, runner-up in a $150,000 maiden claimer Oct. 24 at Keeneland in his lone start.

1/ST BET will offer a unique incentive for all wagering customers. Bettors who make a minimum $10 win bet on the My Dear Girl or In Reality will get their cash back if their selection finishes second or third.

Saturday’s 20-cent Rainbow 6, where the jackpot pool is expected to reach $2 million for the first mandatory payout of the Championship Meet, is led off by the $100,000 Sabal Palm overnight handicap for 3-year-olds and up going one mile and 70 yards on the all-weather Tapeta course.

Private Thoughts, the 8-5 program favorite co-owned by trainer Ron Spatz, had a three-race win streak snapped when he was beaten a neck when second in the Nov. 2 Empire Builder overnight handicap going one mile on the turf. In his prior start the 4-year-old gelding held on for a head victory in the 1 1/16-mile Jet Propulsion Oct. 4, also on the grass.

Prevent, second choice on the morning line at 9-5, seeks a return to the winner’s circle after dropping two straight races following a 1 ½-length victory in the Mambo Meister overnight handicap Sept. 6. The 4-year-old colt has one other win in seven starts this year, the July 5 Soldier’s Dancer, both races coming over the course and distance.

Last year Classic of Course (4-1 ML) ran third in the Dr. Fager and Affirmed and second in the In Reality behind Rated by Merit, who swept the FSS Series. The 3-year-old gelding owns three wins in 2025 including the March 29 Cutler Bay going 7 ½ furlongs on the grass and the Mr. Jordan overnight handicap at one mile on the main track in his last start Nov. 8.

Also entered are Mackenzie’s Novva, Maynard, Brawn and I Know I Know.

Who’s Hot: Jockey Edgard Zayas visited the winner’s circle twice Friday, with American Popstar ($4.80) in Race 1 and Ninja Star ($4.80) in Race 7 … Jockey Edgar Perez also doubled, aboard Frosty Belle ($15.60) in Race 2 and New Life ($17.20) in Race 6 … Both Ninja Star and Esoooo ($3.80) in Race 4 are trained by Jose D’Angelo.