Steppe Rewards Dibona & Wolf Pack with Victory in Duke of Mischief

Sunday’s Rainbow 6 Estimate $100,000, Includes Two on the Turf

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – After claiming Steppe in February for Wolf Pack Racing during Gulfstream Park’s Championship Meet, trainer Bobby Dibona did not run the 3-year-old son of Sky Mesa until May.

“It took me a while. I didn’t rush things and let him come into himself,” Dibona said.

After gelding Steppe and having a throat procedure performed, “we’re now getting the rewards from it,” Dibona said.

The reward Saturday was a victory in the $70,000 Duke of Mischief, one of five stakes on Gulfstream’s program.

After being rated by jockey Miguel Vasquez inside pacesetter Roar of the Beast past a 24:41 opening quarter, Steppe drove away from four others to win the Duke of Mischief by a neck over Awesome Train while covering a muddy and sealed mile track in 1:37.02.

Steppe raced twice as a juvenile in Kentucky in maiden special weight events before running for a $50,000 tag at Gulfstream Feb. 28, the date Dibona claimed him. Since being claimed, Steppe has three wins and a second from four starts.

“You start to see he’s figuring things out, and Miguel is riding great right now,” Dibona said. “It’s fun to have a nice horse.”

Steppe returned $11.60.

The Duke of Mischief is named after the son of Graeme Hall. Trained by David Fawkes, Duke of Mischief won seven races including the Oaklawn Handicap (G2), Iselin (G3), Fort Lauderdale (G3), Charles Town Classic (G3) and Iowa Derby.

__Sunday’s Rainbow 6 Estimate $100,000, Includes Two on the Turf __

Sunday’s Rainbow 6 sequence, with an estimated pool of $100,000, begins with Race 5, a $35,000 maiden turf event for 3-year-olds and up. Inherent Promise is 2-1 on the morning line. The Lisa Lewis-trained son of Constitution will attempt to find the winner’s circle in his 16th start. Reproche, a son of Blame, makes his second start for trainer Todd Pletcher. It will be his first start since December and first on the turf.

Race 6 features 2-year-old fillies going seven furlongs. The field includes some pricey fillies including My Miss Mo, a $320,000 purchase trained by Saffie Joseph Jr.; Zany, a $350,000 daughter of American Pharoah trained by Pletcher; and the Jose D’Angelo-trained duo of Sovereign Gold ($250,000) and Curly Sue ($350,000).

The ninth race, an optional claimer at five furlongs on the turf for Florida-breds, drew a field of nine including 9-5 favorite Love Actually. The sequence concludes in Race 10, a maiden event at 5 ½ furlongs on the Tapeta. Roxy is the 9-5 favorite.