Lord Flintshire Seeks to Turn the Tables in H. Allen Jerkens Handicap

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Parkland Thoroughbreds’ Lord Flintshire will try to turn the tables on Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and the Estate of Albert Frassetto’s The Grey Wizard in Saturday’s $115,000 H. Allen Jerkens Handicap at Gulfstream Park after falling just a length short last time out.

“He’s going to have to run a career best. I think he’s been doing that, actually. His last two runs, you could argue, were his career best,” trainer Keri Brion said.

The 6-year-old gelding captured a 1 3/8-mile optional claiming allowance going away at Saratoga in August before going on to finish third behind graded-stakes winner The Grey Wizard in the two-mile John Forbes, beaten a length, at Fair Hill three weeks later.

“The key is just the distance. The farther he goes, the better he is,” Brion said. “I think that was shown at Saratoga going a mile and three [eighths] and again when he was just beat a length by The Grey Wizard in the John Forbes. He was right and very tough to the line. I love him at the two miles.”

Brion is hopeful that Lord Flintshire’s chances will be enhanced on the Gulfstream turf course.

“I think the biggest thing is the track. Lord Flintshire’s style suits Gulfstream. You can never be too far out of it,” Brion said. “The Grey Wizard is a good horse who will be hard to beat. You can never be too far back. Lord Flintshire likes to sit right there, not on the pace but right there. It’s suitable for Gulfstream Park.”

Yet, Brion understands the enormity of the challenge of trying to beat The Grey Wizard.

“We’ve got to get lucky and things have to go our way a little bit,” she said. “He came to me to be a steeplechase horse, and he will be eventually. We’re having fun with him on the flat.”

Lord Flintshire will carry 120 pounds, including jockey Reylu Gutierrez, in the Jerkens.

The Grey Wizard has been assigned high weight of 126 pounds for the Jerkens, in which he will carry between four and nine pounds more than his 10 rivals.

The five-year-old gelding, the 2-1 morning-line favorite, has run Saturday’s two-mile distance three times, winning twice and finishing second once. The Irish-bred son of Caravaggio won the Belmont Gold Cup (G2) at Saratoga in June and the John Forbes at Fair Hill last time out at the two-mile distance this year.

The Ginger Wizard, an Irish-bred 3-year-old son of Calyx, finished ninth in his U.S. debut at Keeneland Oct. 25 after breaking his maiden in Ireland in August. He is scheduled to be in receipt of 13 pounds from his stablemate.

Hall of Famer jockey Javier Castellano has the call on The Grey Wizard, while Hector Diaz Jr. is named on The Ginger Wizard.

Jeffery Amling and Merriebelle Stable’s Utah Beach, who finished third in the 1 ½-mile Sycamore (G3) at Keeneland last time out, is second highweight at 122 pounds.

The Ignacio Correas-trained 4-year-old gelding has raced just once at Gulfstream, where he won a 1 ½-mile optional claiming allowance last February.

Tyler Gaffalione is slated to ride Utah Beach for the first time.

John Rowe’s Lord Eddard Stark has more than earned his keep during a 27-race career with his consistency and fondness for Gulfstream’s turf and Tapeta courses. The 6-year-old gelding almost always does his running in the late stages of his races, which has prompted trainer Joe Orseno to wonder if the son of He’s Had Enough may be well-suited to the two-mile distance of the Jerkens.

“He’s shown up every time. He has his level, but he tries,” Orseno said. “When you get one that actually like the distance, they get a lot better.”

Lord Eddard Stark, who will carry seven pounds less than The Grey Wizard, has not run beyond 1 1/8 miles while competing regularly around two turns on turf and Tapeta.

“I’ve been wanting to try him at two miles for a long time – or a long race, a mile and a half or something like that,” Orseno said. “When this race came up, I said, ‘This is the time to try it.’”

Leonel Reyes is scheduled to ride Lord Eddard Stark for the first time Saturday.

Repole Stable, trainer Todd Pletcher and Jake Pletcher’s Six Minus returns in the Jerkens after finishing third, beaten a nose and a neck, in last year’s edition. Like Lord Eddard Stark, the 6-year-old gelding has built of record of consistency during his 25-race career. He rarely runs a bad race, but he also rarely wins.

Six Minus will be equipped with blinkers for the first time after coming up short in the 13 starts since his most recent victory recorded in an allowance at Gulfstream Park Feb. 3, 2023.

Edgard Zayas has been named to ride Six Minus.

Trainer Michael Maker, who has enjoyed considerable success with long-distance turf horses over the years, will be represented in the Jerkens by Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher’s Really Good, who finished fourth behind The Grey Wizard in the Belmont Gold Cup.

Joe Bravo has the call.

David Bernsen LLC’s Dean Martini, Julian De Mora Jr’s California Frolic, Daugherty Racing LLC’s Eldest Son and BC Racing LLC’s Prevent round out the field.